Through the Looking Glass
by Lucrecia Marionette
Summary: Five years have gone since the end of the Meteor Crisis and the world is returning to normality. AVALANCHE have rebuilt their lives and put the past behind them, but when one returns with a secret and old enemies appear, their peace falls into disaray and
1. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass 

by Lucrecia Marionette

__

~Chapter 1~

'Reunions'

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Night encompassed the mega-city of Midgar covering it with an impenetrable veil that only those darker than itself could see through. Only a handful of people dared venturing out of their homes to brave the inhospitable darkness and those that did spent their hours on the streets without another choice or in bars and night-clubs; wherever they could escape from the prying eyes hidden in shadow. 

A slight breeze blowing down the middle of one of the main streets had the audacity to break the unnatural stillness moving leaves and litter down the pavement with an eerily loud rustling as they skipped and danced along the tarmac. The street lamps, no longer fuelled by the once plentiful supply of Mako now stood useless; monuments to the city's former days of glory. Instead, small oil lamps swung precariously from the useless light-bulbs and cast out a dim, flickering light which only served to illuminate the path but nothing more.

A solitary figure strode down the road between the pavements as if avoiding the light. His movements were precise and never faltering; he had nothing to fear from the darkness or what lay ahead of him. It treated him as an old friend, not one to be disrespected or turned away. It enveloped the man with a cruel warmth and knew that it would never allow him to turn back; a one-way contract with no loopholes. Still, he didn't seem to mind. The shadows only served to help him in his morose meditations; helped him to organise his thoughts before facing the night alone.

He walked without purpose except for walking. It helped him to move in his moments of thought. It helped him to know that he wasn't the only one in the world although it often felt that way.

His head jerked up suddenly at the sound of movement down the street. One of the many pubs that lined the boulevard opened its doors momentarily as a couple came stumbling out leaning heavily on each other. They laughed raucously and almost fell over several times; walking in a straight line was obviously a challenge. They were both dressed up in expensive clothes; quite unusual for that part of the city and must've had too much to drink at a party of some kind.

They kissed under the light of one of the lamps and then with another drunken giggle, they turned and stumbled away from the shadowy figure who'd stood and watched the event. Not a single emotion crossed his stoic face and once they had disappeared from sight, he continued to press forward as if striving to reach an unseen goal.

He walked for only a few more minutes until he found himself stopping again outside one of the pubs. His strange red eyes flicked up and down the building which stood nestled between others along the terrace. It seemed brighter than the others did; flower boxes lined every window no doubt giving some colour to the otherwise dreary brickwork in day. It had none of the tacky neon advertisements pinned to its walls as many of the others did shedding harsh and unnatural light during the darker hours. A sign sat above the doorway with a dark green background and italic gold letters announcing the bar name. **_'Tifa's Seventh Heaven'_**.

He took a step forward towards the bar and then hesitated and stopped for a while. Conflicting emotions ran through his mind all at once followed swiftly by a thousand different thoughts, most of them displeasing. Clenching his fists as if gathering courage, he took another stride, more purposeful and directed which was followed by another and then another until he stood beside the bar door.

Pausing again to fight a moments doubt, he put the palm of his left hand against the door to push it open. In the faint light shed by the flickering lamps any passers by probably would have been shocked and more likely terrified of the claw which took the place of a normal hand. The natural forearm of his left arm had long since been imprisoned by the cruel gold gauntlet but many years of living with it had taught him to use it as an asset along with the many other abnormalities which riddled his body. Even if he didn't agree with them.

He pushed the door gently and it opened on quiet hinges to reveal a fairly large but comfortable establishment. Tables surrounded by chairs were placed in no particular order around the large, square shaped room probably to encourage the mixture of people to allow new friendships. In one corner of the room there was a bar shaped like an inverted capital 'L' ringed by tall bar stools and backed by a large mirror and assorted bottles of drink; alcoholic and otherwise.

Only three people sat in the room. A couple sat asleep in one shady corner using their folded arms used as pillows against the hard wooden table top. Two empty pint glasses stood on the edge of the round table despite the occasional movements of the people who occupied it. On the opposite side of the room in another corner sat a man who looked to be no older than fifty toying with a half empty glass in his hands which rested on the table in front of him. He was staring blankly at something and seemed to be completely lost in whatever thoughts went through his mind. He didn't appear drunk, just reflective although his shabby clothes certainly didn't make him look the type who'd just had a hard day at work.

The air was heavy with the smell of a hundred different people with a hundred different lives who had visited the bar. There were one or two full ash trays on the tables indicating that it had probably been a busy day. The revelation was backed by several used glasses of varying sizes in a neat line across the bar surface. It looked as though they'd been purposefully left in an orderly fashion waiting for someone to come along and clean them.

The silent intruder went by unnoticed as he moved easily through the confused scattering of tables and chairs and walked over to the bar. He carefully eyed a door behind the bar with **_'Kitchen- keep out!_**' lettered in the same italic style as was on the sign over the entrance. He considered going over to it and seeing if anyone was home but eventually thought better of it and swung his legs over one of the bar stools and sat down. His long and unusual blood red cape which perfectly matched the bandages around his forehead and unnervingly coloured eyes hung down behind him. Its hem brushed lightly on the polished wood floor.

He looked over at the collection of bottles over and around the large mirror directly in front of him on the wall although his eyes studiously ignored it. Every drink possible seemed to line the wall as if halfway through decorating someone had got bored and decided to put as many bottles as they could up instead. The effect was quite impressive seeing how some of the drink was hard to come by at that time. Rare liquors from other continents added colour to the collection with bright and almost gaudily coloured labels. Other bottles which he suspected were more expensive sat back away from the attention with green tinged glass and faded browning paper wrapped around their ample necks. 

He drummed his fingers on the counter and waited patiently. If he had learnt anything in his long life it was waiting. After all he didn't have anything to hurry for.

His patience was rewarded eventually as the door to the bar opened behind him noisily and someone staggered through obviously carrying something heavy and awkward. He didn't turn around, he didn't have to. The frustrated mutterings of the person who'd entered so rudely were enough to alert him of their identity. There was a sudden cry of shock and a thump as they tripped and were sent sprawling to the floor. Whatever they'd been carrying was promptly thrown across the wooden surface and the sound of broken glass echoed throughout the room.

The dark figure who had sat calmly at the bar through the disturbance felt a nudge on his foot and looked down to see something had rolled up against it. He bent down without standing and lifted it up off the floor where closer examination revealed it to be a harmless jar of Costa del Sol coffee. It contained small brown granules which were oddly pungent to his sensitive nose even through the glass and seal.

He swivelled around on the stool and leaned up against the bar with his right arm whilst clutching the coffee casually in his claw.

He watched the person who'd entered with odd curiosity. She wore a pair of tight jeans which revealed long shapely legs that ended in a pair of tough leather walking boots. On the top she wore a baggy pale-blue sweater that had been rolled up past the elbows and she remained on the floor on all fours frantically grabbing the contents of the bag of groceries that she'd been wrestling with. Her knee length dark-brown hair was swept over one shoulder where it persisted in getting in her way as she continued to collect the food. She muttered angry curses out of annoyance and embarrassment although none of the people in the bar except himself seemed to be interested in her plight.

Satisfied that she'd gathered all of the salvageable food and items out of the brown paper bag which sat innocently on the floor next to her, she stood up and surveyed the floor.

He held out his hand to her containing the coffee jar.

"Here you go," he said simply and although she looked up it was absently and she took the object with a mumbled thanks.

Holding the jar in her hands she continued to look on the floor but a sudden glimmer of recognition began to spark in her mind. The voice sounded so familiar and the golden claw certainly wasn't something you saw every day. Her mouth opened in shock and she lifted her head up slowly as if delaying the inevitable to look at the man who'd handed her the item.

Her eyes met with the stranger and widened alarmingly.

"Vincent!" exclaimed Tifa Lockheart as the jar slipped through her suddenly numb hands and smashed spewing its brown contents across the polished floor.

A broad smile quickly broke out across her face and before Vincent could react she ran over and threw her arms around him. In normal circumstances he would've blushed, but happy to see his old friend he embraced her in return. They stood like that for a few minutes eventually dropping arms and Tifa took a few steps back to stand where she had before.

She smiled warmly again and looked back at him carefully. He still wore the same attire he had done for the past five and a half years but not a tear or patch covered its scientifically altered surface. He still wore the same black shirt and loose trousers tucked the same way in his boots that he had the first time she'd met him. A thick belt hug around his waist with a gun holster and his beloved Death Penalty sat snugly inside. She didn't doubt for one second that he hadn't dared let a single scratch mar the perfect black barrel or a scuff-mark touch upon the polished wooden handle. The golden claw still hung at his left side as though it were too heavy for him to lift but she knew that in battle it was a formidable weapon. Around his forehead there were thick red bandages which she'd never seen him remove but they served in keeping his long, jet black hair off his face. The hair contrasted strongly with his deathly pale visage that was framed from below by the neck of his sweeping red cape that he never removed. The overall effect was startling and terrifying for most but to her it was how he'd always been. She knew that deep down he was a good and loyal friend but many people didn't bother to look past his dark and some would say evil exterior. Either that or they didn't get the chance. Beneath his nightmarish appearance hid a terrible secret that only she and few others knew but it didn't bother them. Vincent was just Vincent and they'd come to accept him as thus.

She looked up to examine probably one of his more disturbing features, his ruby-red eyes. She found herself blushing furiously however as she noticed for the first time that he was looking back at her. His eyes showed that he was examining her with even more scrutiny as though he was memorising every detail on her face and body from what she was wearing to how many strands of hair had come loose from her pony-tail. She found herself realising that he probably was. After all, he had been a Turk at one point and he had an excellent memory for detail be it the most worthless pieces of information to the most important.

Snapping out of her trance she put her hands on her hips in a reprimanding stature.

"Well? Are you just gonna stand there or are you going to be a gentleman and help me with this bag?" she asked with one eyebrow raised and her head tilted to one side.

He slid off the stool and lifted the offending bag from the floor while Tifa moved around behind the counter and disappeared for a few seconds into the kitchen. When she returned it was with a brush and a dustpan with a long handle. Vincent placed the bag carefully on the counter and watched Tifa as she quickly and almost expertly swept away the debris from her fall and tipped it into a plastic bag that she'd brought through with her.

She disappeared back into the kitchen with the tools and rubbish, and brushing her hands down her front she came back through with a warm smile. There was a scraping sound as she pulled up a stool on the opposite side of the counter to Vincent and sat down on it wearily. She leant over to him with both elbows on the surface and looked at him expectantly.

"Well?"

"Well, what?" questioned Vincent as he looked back at her.

"Well, what have you been doing for the past four years? No one's seen or heard about you for ages. It was as if you'd dropped from the face of the planet or something," she laughed.

Vincent seemed thoughtful for a moment, carefully choosing his words as he always seemed to before answering a question.

"I haven't done much really. Just drifting from town to town," he shrugged.

She continued to look at him, expecting an incredible story to suddenly spill out as he told her about near brushes with death and incredible escapes. But after a moment she realised that she wasn't going to extract anything else from him.

"And that's it?"

He nodded.

She looked back at him dismayed but didn't push the matter any further unable to see the point. Making small talk with Vincent was like managing to persuade Reno into something without mentioning money. Damn near impossible. She struggled for another line of conversation and then the obvious one fell on her.

"Why haven't you contacted any of us? We were really worried about you, y'know. We thought you might've died or something terrible like that," she said with sadness in her voice. "Eventually we figured that you'd gone back to that awful coffin in the Shinra Mansion."

Vincent seemed distant at the last statement but Tifa sensed the sadness which fell upon him at the mention of the nightmarish place and searched for another topic.

"So much has happened over these past four years," she smiled wistfully in strong contrast to her previous mood. "I don't know if you've heard about everything in your travels, but I can fill you in on all the important things if you want?"

Vincent's attention seemed elsewhere but after a while he turned to look at her and gave a slight nod.

"D'you want a drink? It's on the house of course!"

He thought for a while and eventually nodded.

"What's your poison?" she asked warmly.

"Red wine." 

Tifa spun around without seeming to think and reached into the copious rack behind to produce a dusty green bottle. In the bar she was in her element and Vincent didn't doubt that she knew every dent in the counter surface, where every bottle belonged and where they all originated.

It came as no surprise to him that she'd given up her bar in the sleepy town of Kalm in order to be one of the first to own an establishment in Midgar. As much as she hated it, she preferred the hustle and bustle with the variety of people that you met in a busy place such as the huge city. He remembered when everyone was first settling down and she constantly moaned about the pace of life at the small town and how unbearably dull and quiet it was. 

Reeve had taken it upon himself to restore the city and had pulled together the plans for rebuilding a new Midgar to symbolise a new era. He'd had no problems with work and sponsors because such a huge project attracted a lot of attention. All of the work which had lovingly gone into it both manual and from behind a desk came easily with many people jobless and penniless after the city was first destroyed in Meteor's attack. He'd certainly outdone himself. 

The top plate which had already been decimated by Meteor was dragged away to allow sunlight and life to once more reach the lower sections and slums that poorer people had lived in during the Shinra's reign. Whole sectors had been literally pulled to the ground and neat terraced housing with shops and services were put to match the prettiness of even Nibelheim or Kalm its next-door neighbour on the map. 

The polluted and stagnant air that had once suffocated the land had been given freedom from entrapment under the plates so fresher air could once more flow freely. Monuments were set up in each sector for those who had lost their lives in the horrendous downfall of the place. Many of the people who now inhabited the mega-city were survivors from that time although most faces were new to the wonders that Midgar had to give. 

Plants now grew freely across ruins adding a beauty to the city which showed nature overpowering the arrogance of man. No one minded. In spring the plants burst with life and walls that had previously been covered in graffiti were now showered in beautiful flowers that lifted the most downtrodden spirits. Of all the sectors, only Sector Seven remained uninhabited but not completely useless. Instead of being designated as a housing area, everything had been taken away and the whole place had been transformed from a former place of death and sad memories to an oasis in the centre of a busy and thriving economy. Grass had been lain and flowers planted to create an enormous garden that was the pride and joy of Midgar's people. Known simply as the 'Sector Seven Memorial Gardens' or the 'Seven Gardens', families would often visit and tell their children of the terrible day when fate cast down part of the plate above, destroying the town below. 

"Here you go," said Tifa placing a glass down in front of Vincent dragging him away from his thoughts to the reality that he was in.

"Thanks."

He took a sip and Tifa sat down next to him after pouring herself a glass from the bottle.

"It should be good stuff. It's one of the best in the bar." She lifted the glass up off the counter and held it out in a toast. "Cheers!" she said with a grin and put it to her lips.

The red liquid was refreshing and Tifa who'd been rushed off her feet all day suddenly felt more relaxed and cheerful. She set the glass down on the counter and ran her finger around the rim idly whilst looking over the cosy room.

"I wonder where Cloud and Cid are," she muttered although it was more to herself than her present company. "Cloud usually helps me clear up but he's late back. In fact I left him in charge while I went to buy some late-night groceries. I wonder where he could be?"

"Cid's here?"

"Yeah," answered Tifa surprised at herself for not mentioning it earlier. "He's just stopping for a few weeks with us. It's been a while since he's visited so he dropped by the other night."

"Perhaps they went to look for you," suggested Vincent after another drink. "How long were you out for?"

"Oh, not that long. Only about an hour, but me and Cloud usually leave things to the last minute so I'm always rushing out to grab food and items," she laughed to herself. "We really ought to be more organised but running the bar has been so hectic. I know I hated working in Kalm but it's such a huge change to suddenly be thrown back into the bear-pit after all this time. It's been at least six years since the first bar in Sector Seven was destroyed."

She took another drink and quickly thought back over the past few years.

__

One year during the Meteor Crisis... one year when AVALANCHE stayed together after that and four years since Vincent disappeared.

"Yeah. Yeah it's been six years," she repeated dreamily and then she smiled and looked up at Vincent. "That makes me feel old!"

Vincent said nothing but took another drink and looked behind him at the bar's occupants who hadn't moved since he'd entered.

"When do you usually close?" he asked without turning around.

She looked at her watch. "Usually about twelve... so we should've closed up an hour ago. Oh dear, I suppose I'd better do that now."

"Need any help?"

"Nah," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I'll just chuck these guys out and lock the doors. Cloud can clean up in the morning."

Vincent watched as she came out from behind the bar and clapped her hands loudly to wake everyone up.

"C'mon guys! You've all got homes to go to," she announced loudly. "It's way past your bedtimes and I'm closing now."

All three people that had sat so quietly in the room began to stir and groan their objections. Tifa didn't bother to listen and ushered them out of the doors and into the streets of Midgar. There were a few drunken 'Goodnights' called which were answered politely but when she closed the door she let out a sigh of exhaustion. Gathering her strength she turned around to bolt and lock the doors and walked back over to the bar clasping the key in one hand.

"They're a nice bunch," she replied to Vincent's unasked questions. "The night just drags on sometimes and they can get a bit of a handful. I must admit they were on their best behaviour today but I don't know if that had anything to do with your presence."

Vincent raised an eyebrow and Tifa laughed. "C'mon," she said warmly. "I don't want to sit here in this mess all night. Let's go through to the back room."

She lifted up the groceries and walked through the kitchen door opening it with her back awkwardly while Vincent followed carrying the wine bottle and glasses.

"Sorry it's such a mess," she apologised as they walked through the kitchen and into another room at the very back of the building. Her hand felt up one of the walls until she touched a light switch and with a click their vision was illuminated to show a small room that appeared to be a simple lounge. 

There was a bookcase against the wall opposite them and an unlit fireplace which was obviously used often on their left. A couch faced the fireplace in the middle of the room away from the back wall on their right and a small coffee table sat in front of it. Tifa bustled into the room after putting down the grocery bag in the kitchen and proceeded to straighten out papers and plump up the cushions on the sofa in order to make everything look more presentable to her unexpected guest. Eventually satisfied she motioned for him to come in and sit down.

He put the bottle and glasses on the table while she lit and stoked the fire until a warm glow lit up the room eliminating the need for the harsh light from the light-bulb that hung from the ceiling. The fire shed a cheery light that made the atmosphere much more relaxed and comfortable for the two old friends.

Tifa sighed and sat back among the cushions and rich red fabric of the sofa.

"Everyone's been so busy with their lives," she said softly and unprompted, returning to the topic they'd touched on in the bar. "I'm not sure where to start. 

"Umm, well Red went back to Cosmo Canyon where he took on his duties as the Guardian. He seems pretty overwhelmed by everything but from what I can tell he's keeping on top of it well enough. It's been terrible for him to be given so much responsibility at such a young age but I think he's coping with everything. Everyone's so supportive and he's surrounded by people who love him so I guess he's doing well.

"Cid and Shera finally got married," she said with smile. "That was about three years ago and they've been together ever since Cid settled down. It was a wonderful wedding! Shera looked so gorgeous in her dress and everyone in Rocket Town showed up to see. The party was brilliant too and I have a few funny stories I can tell you about later, most of them involving Reno and one of the waitresses at the Shanghai Inn!" Tifa laughed to herself but the mood quickly went serious again however as she found a sad smile touch her lips. "They even had a kid y'know? She's fine, she's doing really well but Cid wanted everyone to be there when she was born. We looked all over for you but that's when we figured that you'd gone back to sleep. We decided to leave it at that and couldn't see the point in searching for the rest of our lives."

Tifa let out a melancholy sigh and for a moment thought that she saw a look of sorrow flash across Vincent's face. As quickly as it had come though, it dissipated and she was left wondering whether he'd felt anything about what she'd said. 

Not wanting to continue the gloomy mood, she smiled again and giggled. "Anyway, her name's Alicia and she's about three years old now. She's really pretty and she has Cid's hair colouring and Shera's eyes. When you see her, you'll fall in love with her straight away. She's one of the most beautiful kids I think I've ever seen which is kinda strange when you think that she belongs to Cid!" she grinned.

Even the thought amused Vincent and he smiled to himself. Tifa noticed, and spurned on by his unusual show of emotion began to think hard about what everyone else had been doing with their lives.

"Barret naturally decided to go back to Correl and he took Elmyra and Marlene with him. After he saved the town with Cloud and Red they certainly changed their opinions towards him. It seems cruel that it took such a near tragedy before they accepted him again," Tifa shook her head and took another sip of wine, feeling more and more comfortable although whether it was the drink going to her head or the familiar surroundings she wasn't quite certain. 

"He's really pulled the town out of the ground although I guess you will've seen it all if you've been travelling. He's sort of been made the unofficial mayor but he's a bit of a celebrity so everyone looks up to him now. Although him and Reeve have never really got on in the past, Reeve gave Barret loads of money to restore Correl so they've been 'best buds' ever since!" Tifa laughed at the absurdity of the situation seeing how the two had always been at each others throats in the past. "Speaking of Reeve, he's the one who's done all of this in Midgar. He refused to be made the mayor though; he's so modest! Instead he's some kind advisor to the guy who's running everything at the moment, Bret Redford. He's the face of the office that runs the city now but everyone knows that Reeve's the one who does all of the work behind the scenes. He actually has his own bodyguards now, the Turks can you believe it? All three of them! When they heard about Reeve's little venture they crawled out from the woodwork and appointed themselves as his protectors. They're fiercely loyal to him though and all of AVALANCHE has got to know them a helluva lot better due to it. Reno's still a complete jerk and we don't tend to talk much but Elena and Rude are okay. I think that Reno just misses the way that things used to be when the Shinra used to run things. 

"Speaking of the Shinra, Reeve's actually thinking of restarting it except this time he'll be spending millions at looking into alternative energy sources. It would be brilliant if he could begin to start something like that once more because things like roads and some of the smaller villages around here are literally falling to pieces through lack of money which the Shinra used to provide. Like 'em, or loathe 'em, it looks like the people of this world relied too heavily on the Shinra." Tifa sighed and backtracked to find out where she'd begun to talk about such unnecessary things. Sitting up to attention as she realised, she ran her finger absently around the rim of her glass as she continued. 

"Reeve lives over in Sector One with Cait who he gave AI to. It's really creepy being around them sometimes because we never used to see them together. Now they're never apart. Marlene loves Cait, and Barret sometimes lets her stay with Reeve just so that she can get a taste of the world outside of Correl. Of course she used to live in Midgar but she was kinda young then and it was a terrible place. Now she's eleven and she's taking a lot more interest in everything around her. I think she's actually staying with Cloud and I in a few weeks so if you stay around long enough you can say 'hi'.

"Yuffie's still up to her old tricks; stealing materia and ambushing poor travellers. She still insists on being a thief even though we gave her all of our materia at the end of the Meteor Quest. I guess it's just her wanderlust, I mean she's twenty-one now, the same age that Cloud was when the whole Sephiroth thing started so I can't blame her. Some Wutaneese guy called Silvas has been hot on her heels according to Godo, but Yuffie being Yuffie has been avoiding him like crazy. He's gonna have a hard time if he's intending on being the one to tame her!"

Tifa sighed and placed her now empty glass on the table. "I'm sorry, I've been talking for far too long. It's just been so long since I've seen you so there's so much to report!"

"That's all right. It's interesting to find out about what everyone's been doing," Vincent replied as he set his own wineglass down next to Tifa's breaking the silence he'd maintained during her hour-long speech. "What about yourself and Cloud? You both seem to be doing very well here in Midgar.

"Yeah. We're doing great. The bar's perfect even if it does get a bit rowdy at times. I couldn't stand staying in Kalm with all those old fogies and tired travellers. I missed my bar in Sector Seven where it was always so busy and life was so varied. When Reeve told me about this place and how he wanted to encourage other people to set up shop in the rebuilt city, I leapt at the chance. It wasn't hard to find a buyer for the old bar in Kalm and within a week of first hearing the offer, Cloud and I stepped over the threshold of this place. That was about a year ago now. I've been so busy recently that I haven't had enough time to even finish unpacking so there are loads of unopened boxes still lying around upstairs."

There was another long pause.

"Are you and Cloud... together now?" asked Vincent hesitantly.

Tifa blushed deeply and looked down at her drink.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so blunt," he apologised but Tifa shook her head.

"People always ask me that," she shrugged. "I guess I should be used to it by now but it just seems weird hearing it from a friend. I keep on forgetting that you've been away for so long. 

"In a word; no. We're not together. It seems that way I suppose; we live in the same house and sometimes we can be really close... but sometimes he can just be so distant and we're just friends. It's weird. I, I know I have _feelings_ for him but we have such a close friendship that I don't want to destroy it. Sometimes I'm certain he feels the same way but then at other times it's like he doesn't even notice me. There's nothing official and I think he just looks at me like a sister or something like that. I don't know." She sighed, suddenly feeling embarrassed at having opened herself up so much to her companion.

They both finished their glasses gloomily as if the question had destroyed the happy atmosphere that had existed before. Tifa forced a smile and poured herself and Vincent another drink and thought back to where the conversation had abruptly ended.

"Anyway," she started once more with a lighter tone. "It's only taken Reeve four years to pull Midgar back up to its former 'glory' but there's still a lot of work to be done from what he's told me. Although the whole place has only been up and running for about a year, its almost impossible to buy a house or shop because everything's taken. There was a huge rush to get in when the city gates were officially declared open and within a month or so, every home had been sold and every shop was in service. Of course because I'd been given priority with this place, I got customers from the first day and the pace has only slowed a fraction ever since," Tifa ended sounding immensely proud in her achievements. "Cloud does odd jobs around the place, but he's part of this special task force that patrols around the edges of the city killing monsters."

She opened her mouth to continue speaking but as if on cue, there was the sound of keys being rattled in a door and loud laughter.

"That must be them!" Tifa said unnecessarily with a hint of excitement.

She stood up and faced the lounge door as it opened loudly and Cloud stumbled in, almost crying from laughter at a joke that Cid had probably told him. His companion wasn't far behind wearing a huge grin, his trademark cigarette hanging out of one corner of his mouth.

"Where the hell have you two been?" Tifa asked angrily and noting the tone in her voice, both Cloud and Cid straightened themselves out to look at her. "I left you in charge of the bar while I went out. Anything could've happened with none of us there!"

Cloud and Cid hung their heads between their shoulders looking down at the floor like naughty schoolboys who were being reprimanded by their mothers.

"Sorry, Teef," mumbled Cloud. "I was called away by the patrol and Cid came along with me."

Tifa dropped her firm stance and moved over to him. She punched him lightly on the shoulder playfully in mock anger.

"Yeah? Is that so? Well you had me worried you jerk! You should've left a note or something to tell me." She turned to Cid who was grinning happily that he'd avoided Tifa's temper but he ran out of luck as she pointed an accusing finger at him. "And you, Cid Highwind, should know better. You have a daughter to be responsible for and I don't need you leading poor Cloud astray!"

Cloud pulled a face as Cid pretended to be upset.

Tifa rolled her eyes. "You two are worse than Yuffie sometimes!" She sighed and put her hands on her hips. "Anyway, we have a visitor."

Cloud and Cid exchanged puzzled looks while Tifa coughed and nodded towards the sofa. The two men watched curiously and after a few seconds a dark figure seemed to rise up out of the shadows themselves and turn to face them.

A wave of fear suddenly overcame Cloud as he looked carefully at the tall and imposing intruder. He began to pick out features, a golden claw, a red cape that seemed almost black in the fire's dim light. And set into a deathly pale face, a pair of red eyes that glittered like dying embers from the shadows.

Cloud grinned and stepped forward with his left hand outstretched to greet the stranger who had become suddenly familiar.

He was met by the claw which he shook warmly.

"Vincent Valentine," he smiled happily, patting his old friend affectionately on the left shoulder whilst leaning over the couch that stood between them. "Long time, no see!"

"Hey, Vinny!" grinned Cid shaking Vincent's claw when Cloud had stood back.

"I thought I asked you not to call me that."

"Hell, it's been a while an' I don't tend to remember things like that," Cid explained knowing that even for him it was a poor excuse.

Vincent raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

Cloud peered over and noticed the bottle and glasses. "Looks like you two have been getting a bit friendly!"

Tifa nudged him in the ribs and he laughed back at her. "Hey, only kidding!"

"We were catching up on old times," she answered haughtily. "I've just been telling him about everything that's happened over the past four years."

"I believe that congratulations are in order," Vincent said, his eyes flicking over to Cid. "About the marriage and baby I mean."

"Thanks," smiled Cid brightly. "You have to come and see the kid some time. Her name's Alicia Highwind and she weighed in at a healthy 7lbs and 3ozs when she was born on the ninth of April three years ago," he finished with more pride in his voice than when he talked about the Shinra no.26 or even the Highwind.

"Yeah, he'll show all of his photos later if you're lucky enough," Cloud whispered loudly to Vincent so everyone could hear. "He's got an album full in his wallet!"

Cid took his turn to poke Cloud in the ribs while Tifa looked on and laughed.

The old pilot jumped neatly over the back of the sofa and fell back into a slouching-sitting position in the middle spreading out as much as was humanly possible.

"So what've you been doin' for the past four years? We thought you'd been abducted or sumthin'," Cid asked jovially.

Vincent sat down next to him and leaned back with his legs crossed looking unusually casual. "Just wandering really. Moving from town to town, exploring. Nothing in particular."

"So if you've been walkin' round so much, how come you never dropped in to see any of us?" Cid questioned curiously.

Vincent took a while to answer and when he eventually did it seemed hesitant. "I just didn't want to trouble anyone I suppose. I've had a lot to think about recently and I needed some time to myself. I have many things to think about and I even attempted to find Lucrecia. I quickly realised that was futile. It looks as though she was finally able to return to the Lifestream and I needed to think about my own life... what I'm going to do now that the group has separated. I've missed over thirty years of my life and much has changed in that time. At least in AVALANCHE I was sheltered from so much difference but it would appear that I still have much to learn."

Cloud and Cid nodded solemnly, satisfied with the answer although still wanting to know more. Tifa looked at him curiously as if trying to sense his thoughts. Something in his voice, some undertone to it struck her as odd. It sounded like he was trying to keep something back from them. Vincent flicked his red eyes to her, a show of unexpected attention which caught her off guard and she coughed as if feeling guilty about her suspicions.

"Are you going to sit down?" he asked.

Tifa moved around to the sofa to sit down on the other side of Cid from him but she never broke her eye contact. There had definitely been something in his voice then; an unannounced emotion, almost like anger. A silent threat which the other two seemed completely oblivious to, daring her to speak her thoughts aloud.

Vincent turned away eventually and looked into the fire while Cloud came and sat down on the floor between Tifa's legs like a loyal guard dog. Although she didn't feel in any danger from Vincent's subtle threat, she felt immediately safer in Cloud's presence.

"So anyway," Cloud began to once more initiate conversation after a long pause. "What's made you come to Midgar? Why have you finally decided to visit us?"

Vincent shrugged. "I suppose that I finally decided I had nothing more to search for. I wanted to check on everyone; make sure that you were all okay."

Tifa was certain she felt the tone again, he was definitely hiding something but this time she avoided any eye contact with him as if afraid of what she'd see.

"Nice of you to remember us after all this time!" Cid laughed.

"It's difficult to forget some people," Vincent replied although whether he was joking or being serious, none of the three could detect. Vincent's sense of humour was odd at the best of times, often dry and inappropriate as he'd say things at the worst times and find morbid amusement from them.

"Yeah well," sighed Cloud wearily. "I'm kinda tired so I'll probably go to bed in a minute. Are you coming up, Teef?"

"Yeah, I'm exhausted after running around all day," she yawned. "Oh, Vincent," she started feeling slightly reluctant to talk with him. "Where are you sleeping tonight? We don't have a spare bed but the couch is pretty comfy if you want to stay here tonight instead of in one of those awful hotels."

"That will not be necessary," Vincent replied curtly and with a recognisable touch of embarrassment. "I have my own apartment over in sector four."

Everyone exchanged surprised looks.

"You have your own apartment?" Cid exclaimed. "Do you go for the gothic style of architecture, or are floral prints more your thing?"

Vincent looked at the pilot who laughed at the strange expression on his face.

"It's merely a place where I sleep and eat. Nothing more so I fail to see the point in... decorating I'm afraid," he said flatly.

"You'll have to show us it one day," said Cloud as he stood and stretched luxuriously. 

"Are you sure you don't want to stay the night? This is Sector Six after all and it'll take you ages to get home even if you go on the train," Tifa pushed.

"I'll be all right," Vincent answered coolly and none of them doubted it. Even in the middle of day people tended to steer clear of their dark friend. "I'll keep you awake no longer," he announced as he stood up and moved towards the door.

"Sure," said Cloud warmly. "We'll probably be seeing a lot of you then. Feel free to stop by any time; the door's always open to friends. In fact, you could come around tomorrow morning if you want? We can talk about old times seeing how we've hardly spoken all night."

"Oh no, Cloud Strife!" reprimanded Tifa. "You're getting up bright and early tomorrow to clear out that bar as punishment for leaving it alone earlier." She caught Cid grinning again and she spun around to face him. "You're no better either, so you can help him!"

Cid moaned and collapsed back on to the sofa while Vincent bade a goodnight and Cloud showed him out. When their friend had left and entered back into the night outside, Cloud came back into the lounge and slumped down on the sofa as the old pilot stood up.

"Well, as nice as it was to see Vinny again, I'm so tired I'm gonna keel over any second. I'm gonna go to bed now," he declared as moved towards the door stifling a yawn. "See y'all in the mornin'."

He left the room as Tifa sat back down on the couch and lay down using Cloud's chest as a pillow. He wrapped his arm around her front and twirled a few strands of her soft brown hair around his fingers absently as he looked into the sparking fire that was beginning to die down to a glowing heap in the bottom of the grate.

"It was weird to see Vincent, wasn't it?" he said eventually. "He didn't seem to notice how worried we all were did he? I guess he's like that. He always was pretty cold but over that year after the Meteor Crisis he lightened up a bit and he used to talk a lot more. I think he's just a bit untrusting really but that probably comes from working in the Turks. I suppose I don't blame him for going off on his own; after all maybe he felt as if he _had_ to stay with us all after the whole Sephiroth thing. Sometimes, when he and I were on night watch, we used to talk about all sorts of things. Don't ask me how, but I could always tell that he wanted to break away. It was like he wanted to sever all ties and put the past behind him so that he could make a new life," Cloud sighed. "Maybe that's why he wanted to go off and have some time to himself?" he ended rhetorically.

Tifa felt comfortable in Cloud's arms listening to him speak as she always did but the subtle emotions in Vincent's voice whenever she'd spoken to him rang clearly in her mind. Moments passed with pure silence between the couple although occasionally the embers in the fireplace would spark and crack loudly. Eventually noticing that it was up to him to find something to say, Cloud looked down at the beautiful woman in his arms and saw the look of troubled thoughts on her face.

"Is there something wrong, Teef?" he asked softly. "You seem kinda distant."

"Hmm?" she said jolting out of her mind. "N, Nothing's wrong. I'm just thinking."

"Bout what?"

"Just things. Nothing important really," she mumbled hoping that he'd drop the subject. She never had been very good at hiding things from him even though he seemed so oblivious to the thoughts of other people.

"What kind of things?" he pursued eventually. "You seem worried."

Tifa tried desperately for a way out of the situation. Mainly because she knew that she'd worry Cloud over nothing but also because she couldn't help but think about the threat in Vincent's eyes at her suspicious thinking.

Unable to think quick enough she relaxed and sighed.

"It's nothing really. I, I was just wondering if you'd noticed anything weird with what Vincent said?"

Cloud thought for a second. "No. Not really, why?"

"I dunno. I think I might be imagining things but when he was telling us about what he's been doing... well, it was like he was hiding something. I thought about it for a while and then he looked at me as though he could see into my mind," she shuddered even thinking about it. "It was like he could see right through me, y'know? And then ever since whenever he's spoken directly to me... there was something else in his voice, like a warning. As if he was daring me to mention anything," she laughed softly. "I'm probably just going mad."

Cloud frowned. "Vincent's always hiding something or other but I think I know what you mean. Why didn't he come to see any of us? I mean if he really has been wandering around for the past four years then you'd think that he'd bump into one of us sooner or later. Maybe he was avoiding us? After all, he did say that he needed time to think."

"No... It's all right, it was nothing," Tifa said, hoping that he was taking the subject lightly.

"Maybe I should say something. Do you want me to talk with him about it?" he questioned kindly. "Are you scared or anything?"

Tifa felt a shiver down her spine but shook her head. "No, it's all right. He should be left to do whatever he wants. It's nothing to do with me or any of us really."

Cloud nodded, satisfied that she once more seemed at ease. "We should go and see him at some point. I want to see what his home looks like," he laughed. "I want to see if he really does have flowers on the walls."

Tifa tutted and rolled her eyes. "I never knew you took such an interest in interior decorating. Maybe I should get you to do the wallpapering upstairs for me?"

"C, Come to think about it, I don't care what he has up on his walls. It can be porno posters for all I care!" he grinned while Tifa burst out laughing and wiped a tear from her eye.

"Vincent with naughty posters!" she giggled. "The day I see that is the day that Barret takes up flower arranging!"

The couple both laughed together and it dispelled the gloomy atmosphere that had been left by their visitor. When they had taken out all of their worries from that day, they sighed wearily and sat up, still with happy smiles on their faces.

"C'mon," said Tifa affectionately as she patted Cloud on the back. "Let's go to bed. You have some early morning work to do in the bar and I'm not letting you sleep in."

He moaned exaggeratedly but she pulled him to his feet and they left the lounge. The shadows that had hugged the corners of room during its occupancy now rushed in to reclaim their territory.

Outside and above Midgar, the stars continued their endless spiral in the sky as faint colours of a new dawn began to appear on the horizon.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Deep within the depths of the earth, the Lifestream swirled on in an endless cycle of death and rebirth; everything was one and one was everything. The life of an individual amounted to the life of the planet and everything that lived upon it. Circling in the universe it was an insignificant, a pinprick on the vast scale of existence, yet everything existed in harmony. A balance that was so easily tipped, but somehow it existed. Many didn't know; even more didn't care about the finely tuned state of the universe and perhaps it was better that way. Perhaps it was better for the trivialities of man to be kept separate from the very matter of existence itself. All are one as they existed in this perpetual state, all except a single life. 

A single creature which had dared to isolate itself outside of the very workings of life. 

He chose it to be thus. 

He was the one who almost destroyed the balance, the one who almost tipped the scales too far. 

He sat apart from all others, aware of his crime, forceful of his punishment. He pushed it upon himself; he was the only one who could. The powerful beings and forces that ran the universe were prepared to forgive, eager to let the natural order correct itself once more but he was not so quick to forget. 

An eternity alone, forever without contact or understanding from anything else. It was less than he deserved. If there was anything more he could've done, it would've been carried out. He blamed himself. A weak fool driven mad by the prospect of power and the chance to become a god led by another force. _No_, he frowned. It was his fault. No use blaming it on anyone else. It was all down to him and so he would atone.

He exhaled a deep sigh that was lost within the joyous and continuous song of life. A life even more insignificant than the planet's. He was nothing. No one would mind if he just waited there and stayed quiet. No one would miss him. No one would come out looking for him even if he wanted them to. He was alone and would have it no other way... .

Another watched him, her eyes misted with tears. She reached out to him but his eyes remained closed in sorrow and thought. She called out to him but he ignored her and made no move to answer her pleas. She looked out to the heavens and prayed that whatever force kept the momentum going had some power over their lives. She prayed that it would keep her safe and she prayed that it would keep those she loved safe. Somehow she knew the words fell upon deaf ears. 

And she wept... .

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Two days after the unusual and unexpected encounter with Vincent, Tifa found herself once more tending bar at Tifa's Seventh Heaven. It was the lunch break and the doors were closed while herself and waitress Joanne found a precious few moments to sit down and relax.

"I suppose I'd better clean up these glasses," sighed Jo wearily after they'd rested for a few minutes. "They won't wash themselves and I've got a bad feeling it's gonna be busy this afternoon.

Tifa nodded in agreement. Days tended to vary when it came to the amount of customers that passed through the door to the bar but it had been hectic all morning and presumptions led to the conclusion that things weren't going to get any easier. Tifa sat at one of the small tables and looked over the room. In the brief hours that it had been open, already a layer of dirt from outside and trash had begun to appear on the floor. 

__

I really should get the brush out here she thought absently whilst half watching the young waitress bustle around the room collecting glasses and ashtrays. The older proprietress made no effort to stand up and help. She was too exhausted to even attempt to move and the hard wooden stool seemed as comfortable as a throne made from silk to her tired body.

Nonetheless, no matter how much she wanted to shun the world, the dustpan and brush were screaming for attention and wouldn't quieten down even to give her some peace. She stood up and stretched languidly, dropping her arms to her sides with a sigh.

"Cloud keeping you awake at night, miss?" asked Jo with a sly grin and a wink.

"Joanne Andrews!" scolded Tifa half-heartedly. "That's terrible. You know we're just friends!"

"I know, Miss," replied Jo fondly as she began wiping down tabletops. "You know I'm just kidding."

"Hmph!" Tifa put her hands on her hips and gave a disapproving stare to her helper who laughed it off and walked into the kitchen carrying a tray full of dirty glasses and jugs. 

Tifa was once more left to her thoughts and she continued to look around at the surroundings. She'd tried to make it as cosy and homely as possible; wood floors and panelling gave off a soft shine when the dim lights were switched on at night powered from the small generator in the basement. Several pictures of famous landmarks across the world hung on the walls showing exotic beaches from Costa del Sol and the elegant and magnificent pagodas of Wutai adding a touch of class to the establishment. Lighting came in the form of false candlesticks with bulbs instead of flames on the walls strategically placed between pictures making the overall appearance aesthetically pleasing and warm. 

The looks of the bar weren't the only thing that attracted customers. The drinks could be as foreign or as usual as anyone wanted with one of the largest collections of beverages in the whole of Midgar. Meteor had destroyed many precious things when it attacked and as a result some items including certain kinds of alcohol were difficult to come by. Tifa being ever resourceful had made friends and contacts among suppliers and was one of the few who could ever hope to sell some of the drinks that she did.

She leaned back on the locked doors to the bar and looked over her achievements feeling her heart swell with pride at how well she'd done for herself. She had started life as a coy young girl in a dozy country town and ended up as owner of one of the most popular bars in the whole of thriving Midgar.

"I hope you're proud of me, Dad," she whispered to herself barely audible as she thought about how much her father had meant to her and vice versa. Sometimes, late at night when she was on her own in the bar, she'd think about him and wonder how he was doing. Wonder what it was like in the Lifestream and wonder if he'd found her mother again. Thoughts that made her smile and feel glad to be alive. Thoughts that made her want to do the best for herself, to grow up happily and have no regrets.

"Just like Dad would've wanted me too," she said softly with a smile.

Snapping out of her daydreams, she stood up straight and began to move through the tables when strange sounds from outside caught her attention. It sounded as though there was some kind of fight going on and although it didn't have anything to do with her, she couldn't help but feel obliged to help. She was one of the 'heroes of the Meteor Quest' after all and if she couldn't sort out a petty dispute, then who could? 

She turned around again and turned the key in the door lock with a click and pushed the doors open. She gasped at the enormity of the problem. It seemed as though the whole street had become involved in the ruckus in one way or another. It was market day and the cobbled street was lined with stalls of hundreds of varieties and every one of the stallholders had run to the opposite end of the long street to her. The browsers and normal people who had obviously been innocently walking up and down the street when the occurrence took place now stood as spectators acting as a human screen preventing Tifa from seeing the drama unfold. From what she could tell however, it was a simple fight that seemed to have roped in just about everyone possible into the fray. Angry shouts and curses carried clearly through the still air and Tifa found herself blushing at some of the things said.

"What is it, Miss?" enquired Jo as she walked up behind Tifa and looked curiously down the street. "What's going on?"

"Just looks like a brawl. You stay here and I'll go and see if I can sort it out," Tifa ordered as she began to walk confidently towards the scene of trouble leaving Joanne biting her bottom lip nervously.

The fight itself was taking place outside of one of the many fancy cafes that lined the road and it seemed that the elegant metal furniture was being used as weapons by the people involved. Tifa cringed as she heard the huge pane of glass of the cafe's window smash as a white metal chair was hurled through it. As Tifa neared the voices of the people responsible for the problem became clearer.

The majority of noise was being made by men, one man in particular who was hurling threats and abuse like magic on a person who she couldn't quite make out through the tangle of bodies in front of her. Rolling up the sleeves of her sweater, she pushed through the mass and stopped suddenly as the person who seemed in the thick of the trouble suddenly leapt up out of the group and landed neatly on one of the cafe's outside tables.

Tifa inhaled sharply through her clenched teeth and a hand went to her mouth as she stumbled back in disbelief.

"C'mon you jerks!" screamed the source of the trouble as she stood with her knees bent in a defensive posture on the table, one hand behind her back clutching a weapon. "I'll take you all on if you're too scared to fight me one at a time like real men! I'm the daughter of Lord Godo, ruler of Wutai and you can kiss my ass if you don't like that!!"

"Come down here you little thief and I'll chop your hands off!" yelled an angry stallholder waving a large knife threateningly.

"You dare to touch me with that and I'll shove it right up your fat, hairy-"

"Yuffie Kisaragi!" yelled Tifa furiously to the young girl before she could finish her insult.

The whole crowd immediately turned to look at the bar hostess who stood fuming with her hands on her hips glaring at the figure on top on the table.

"You know this brat?" asked the stallholder angrily as he moved away from the girl.

"Brat?" screamed Yuffie. "I'll give you brat you pompous piece of scum! C'mon! One more time, one more time!"

"Right! That's it!" roared the man consumed by rage as he turned and began to run back towards Yuffie. her expression changed from taunting to one of someone about to be run over by a steam-train.

He raised the knife high above his head preparing to thrust it into her stomach but a loud and sudden gunshot rang out and the knife was shot from his hand. It flipped through the air and landed only centimetres away from one of the bystanders, it's blade jammed between two stones twanging loudly in the still air. The gunshot resounded down the street as the knife's owner cried out and held his hand in pain. Everyone's eyes looked down horrified at the knife and they slowly lifted them to look at the source of the shot and saw a shadowy caped figure standing well away from the crowd. Surprised muttering took the place of the stunned silence and Tifa walked quickly over to Yuffie who was trembling from shock. Tifa swept the young girl off the platform and carried her away from the crowd while Vincent gave a dark glance to everyone looking at him and swiftly followed on.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Joanne! Get me a small brandy, quickly now!" Tifa ordered as she kicked open the double doors of the bar and marched in holding Yuffie in her arms who was shivering violently.

Vincent followed Tifa as she walked past the bar and through the kitchen until she stood in the lounge where she placed Yuffie down gently on the couch. Jo bustled in seconds later carrying a delicate glass containing a soft brown liquid that Tifa took quickly and knelt down next to the couch.

"Here you go, Yuffie," she said soothingly as she put the glass to the young girl's lips. "Drink this slowly and you'll feel much better.

Yuffie's hand moved up quickly as she grabbed the glass and threw back her head, swallowing the brandy in one gulp and then regretting it as it burnt her throat and made her stomach feel as though it were on fire. She sat up and coughed as it went straight to her head and blinked a few times to clear her vision.

"Yikes," she wheezed. "That's strong stuff."

"Of course it's gonna be strong if you down it like that," Tifa admonished sternly but her expression softened as Yuffie continued to shake nervously. "Are you alright?"

She forced a nod and huddled into herself as if trying to keep warm.

"She's in shock," observed Vincent coolly giving Joanne a fright. The waitress had never noticed the dark stranger standing in one of the shadowy corners before. "She should be all right if she's allowed to rest for a few hours."

Tifa nodded but didn't look up. "It's a good job you showed up. I felt as though my feet were frozen in place and even if I'd wanted to, I don't think that I could've moved to grab that knife before he attacked Yuffie with it," she said quietly running her hand through Yuffie's short brown hair comfortingly.

"Why was she in the middle of a fight anyway?" Vincent asked once the young ninja seemed calmer.

"I'm not sure," shrugged Tifa. "I just heard the noises inside the bar and ran out to see what was happening."

Yuffie looked up coyly and met the suspicious stares of the people in the room, all asking her for the answers.

"Umm... would you believe me if I said that I was helping an old lady across the street and he mugged her?" she asked hesitantly.

"Was it even worth you asking?" Vincent replied without even a hint amusement.

Yuffie coughed nervously and looked at her feet. "Well... umm... it's like this, y'see. I was walking down the street perfectly innocently, minding my own business, and looking at some of the stalls. All perfectly legitimate stuff," she added looking back up at her companions who remained expressionless. "Anyway, I happened to look at this one stall in particular for a real long time; long enough for some punk to come along and plant some materia on me. Can you believe the nerve of some people today? 

"I, of course, was completely unsuspecting and I began to walk away very quickly because I saw the time and realised that this place would be closed for the lunch hour and I wanted to get here before it was opened again. Actually, I ran so I suppose it could look pretty bad, especially when the guy who owns the store yells at me to come back and calls me thief. Of course being as completely innocent as I am, I thought he was talking about someone else so I ignored him and carried on. In fact, I didn't want to get caught up in anything bad so I ran even faster. 

"Unfortunately, someone mistook me for the _real_ criminal and stopped me. That's when they found the materia that someone had slipped into my pouch and they presumed that_ I_ was the one who'd taken it. Can you believe it?" she finished with a hopeful grin looking up at everyone again trying to look as innocent as she could.

"Oddly enough... no." Vincent answered leaning back on the wall with his arms crossed drumming the fingers of his claw on his right arm.

"... No. I kinda figured you wouldn't," the girl mumbled forlornly.

"Tell us the truth Yuffie," said Tifa sternly. "Although I think it's already pretty obvious what that is from your 'story'."

"I'm doing it all for Wutai!" the young ninja protested with puppy-dog eyes, trying to justify her actions.

"I cannot believe I saved a common thief," Vincent muttered angrily.

"Hey! Who are you calling common?" 

"That's enough Yuffie. You need to rest and I suppose that I'd better go out and talk to the people who own the cafe down the road and apologise," Tifa announced as she stood up and moved towards the door.

"It's alright, Miss. I'll go and speak with the owners if you want to stay here with your friends," offered Joanne kindly as she followed after Tifa who stopped at the suggestion.

"Thanks, Jo," Tifa sighed, allowing the younger woman to pass. "I owe you one. Just tell them to send the bill here and we'll deal with it."

Joanne nodded and walked away through the kitchen leaving Tifa, Vincent and Yuffie alone. Yuffie seemed considerably calmer and overcome by weariness had curled up on the couch in a foetal position with her knees tucked up under her chin. Eventually soft snores emanated from the young girl occasionally wracked by shivering as she no doubt dreamt of mad men with huge knives chasing after her. Tifa touched Vincent's good arm lightly surprised at how cold it felt but hid her thoughts and indicated for him to follow her through to the still closed bar.

They pulled up stools on either side of the bar until they sat in the same positions that they had done a few nights before. Tifa absently ran her hand through her hair, twisting it around her finger out of habit and playing with the leather band that held it back with the other hand.

Vincent sat sideways leaning up against the counter with the elbow of his claw finding sudden interest in the picture of the Jungles of Mideel hanging opposite him. Tifa took the moment's pause in action to take a good look at the friend who'd dropped by unexpectantly for the first time in four years during clear daylight. 

His long, raven black hair still sat like a river of tar running down his back and over his shoulders an unnaturally pure colour. To him it was probably a curse; a feature that made his pale skin look more like a death pallor than a sickly colouring. The skin was flawless with no blemishes or colouring on its surface although there were the suggestions of shadows under his eyes. His eyes, yes, it always seemed to end with his eyes. They certainly were unusual; but then again she lived with a man who'd been showered so strongly with Mako that his irises literally glowed in the dark with a pale blue iridescence. There was still something unnerving about Vincent's eyes however, something oddly fitting. She got the impression off him that they were simply 'stained with the blood of the many people he'd killed' but from what she knew they had once been a deep brown like her own. More than likely, whatever Hojo had done to him in the past had been the cause of the alteration in colouring although he never complained. In fact, he seemed to use them as one of his more potent weapons, using them to send fear rushing through his enemies so potent that he could literally freeze them where they stood, too overcome by terror to react. It wasn't any spell but just his appearance had the unfortunate ability of sending chills down even the spines of his friends. He hadn't changed at all; over the past four years everyone had altered in some way, if only slightly. Barret had begun to get flecks of grey in his black hair while Cid was beginning to get laughter lines and small wrinkles around the corners of his eyes. Even she could see a difference when she looked in the mirror; her personality and appearance had matured further making her seem less hot-headed than she once was. Vincent seemed to have a completely ageless quality about him. 

__

I suppose that would have something to do with the fact that he's a sixty-six year old with the appearance of a man of twenty-seven she mused continuing to look carefully at his face.

No... Maybe she was wrong. Something _had_ changed. Vincent's eyes were the only things that gave any hint to what he was feeling or what he thought about. Even in the past during the Meteor Quest when everything had seemed so futile, there had always been a glimmer, if only a small spark of hope hidden within the ruby depths. Now though, now it was gone. Completely obliterated by the waves of blood, extinguished forever leaving only the same sadness and sorrow reflected back into the world that had been there ever since Tifa had met him.

__

Deep down, maybe he always felt that there was some possibility that Lucrecia was alive. He did say that he'd been looking for her over the past four years and hadn't found her. Maybe it's beginning to hit home she thought wistfully.

Sighing deeply she broke the long silence and Vincent turned to look at her seemingly finding it difficult to tear his eyes away from the picture. It appeared as though he had become lost in his own thoughts also.

"Hi," she smiled after realising that there hadn't been much time for pleasantries earlier.

"Hello."

She smiled happily. It was good to have everyone safe again; it was good to know that everyone was all right and that they were getting on with their lives.

"Where have you been for the past couple of days?" she asked conversationally.

"Are you going to question what I've been doing every time I disappear?" he responded with a touch of amusement.

"Sorry," she replied apologetically. "I'm just curious. I guess its hard enough thinking of you with an apartment, let alone what you do in it all day."

"Sleep, eat and read."

"That's it?" He looked at her blankly and she grinned. "I'm giving you another interrogation again, sorry."

"That's all I do. I have a lot of books and I suffer from insomnia so I tend to sleep into the day," he explained unprompted.

"Do you have a... job?" she continued hesitantly.

"No, not yet but I haven't been looking. With all of my travelling I passed through some areas that have become notorious for thieving groups and bandits. I got into a lot of fights so I acquired a lot of Gil that way. I have no need for a job yet."

Tifa nodded. If he'd truly been wandering around for four years then it was easy to understand how much wealth he would've saved up. Over the year that the whole group had chased after Sephiroth they'd 'earned' enough money to set all of them up comfortably in their present lives without much worry about bills and rent.

"The cost of living in Midgar is expensive though; you'll need to get some work pretty soon. Everyone needs to pay the rent and bills somehow," she said unnecessarily.

"The place is my own so there's no rent to pay. All I have to worry about are food and basic necessities, things like that so I'm not in any hurry," he finished.

"Well someone who's as good with a gun as you shouldn't go to waste. This Special Patrol that Cloud works for is always on the look out for new and skilled people and he only works part-time. You'd probably be running the whole thing in a month," Tifa suggested seriously and Vincent seemed thoughtful.

"Perhaps. I haven't made any long term plans as of yet. I may not even stay in Midgar for more than a year."

"You won't?" she exclaimed. "Don't tell me you're just gonna disappear again after a few months?"

"As I said, I haven't made any plans," he repeated coolly, almost irritated at her questioning.

Noticing his desire to stop the conversation being completely about himself, Tifa sought for another topic. As long as she'd known him he'd always avoided mentioning anything about his thoughts or plans. To some he probably seemed cold but she was used to it and after four years it wasn't hard to slip into the same routines.

Tifa began to think more carefully and she sat up as an idea began to formulate in her mind.

"Umm, hey. What's your apartment like? How many rooms?" she asked pleasantly.

Vincent looked at her with undisguised suspicion. "Why do I have the feeling that this is leading somewhere?" 

Tifa smiled sheepishly. "Well... We've only got one guestroom here and it looks like Yuffie's wanting to stay in Midgar a while. I was just wondering if you'd have a spare room so that she could stop with you for some time. If it's too much trouble then she can always stay here, but its like how I told you the night you visited. Apart from the room that Cid's staying in, we only have the couch and she's still pretty shaken up from what happened earlier so I'd prefer it if she had a proper bed to sleep in," she blurted out not allowing him the chance to interrupt or decline. She almost held her breath in anticipation of an answer but none came.

Vincent seemed very contemplative as though he was wrestling with whatever demons inhabited his soul in order to find an answer. She'd expected him to say no immediately but it appeared as though he was giving the idea much more thought than she'd given him credit for. Eventually, although it was obvious that the choice pained him, he turned to her and nodded.

"Yes," he started hesitantly. "But if she gets on my nerves then there'll be no compromises. She's out and I don't care if she ends up sleeping on a park bench in the Seven Gardens or in the gutter.

Tifa grinned happily. This was the Vincent she was used to even though his secretive and defensive behaviour annoyed her sometimes. "I guess I should really ask her first, I mean she's the one whose gonna be passed around like a parcel."

Vincent nodded but his eyes suddenly flicked to the doorway behind Tifa as something took his interest. Curious, Tifa swivelled around to see a dozy looking Yuffie leant up against the doorframe yawing profusely with her eyes half closed.

"Who's a parcel?"

~Lucrecia Marionette~


	2. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

****

by Lucrecia Marionette

__

~Chapter 2~

'Into the Storm'

______________________________________________________

Vincent slipped his key into the door lock and turned it with a soft click that seemed eerily loud in the landing of the apartment block. Yuffie jumped and shuffled around impatiently behind him waiting to be the first of AVALANCHE to see where he lived. It had come as quite a novelty to her to even think of Vincent having a life. On board the Highwind she never really saw much of him; he kept to himself and mainly came out at night to take the watch with Cloud. As soon as the group split up and they all went their separate directions in life, everyone had decided to go back to what they knew best. It wasn't very hard for her to picture Vincent slinking back off to his coffin in the dead of the night in creepy Nibelheim. For her to unexpectedly find him in the middle of busy Midgar came as a huge shock, especially since he'd probably saved her life.

He pushed the door open on silent hinges and stood to one side to let her through. Half expecting to find cobwebs hanging off the walls and bats squeaking and crawling across the ceiling, it was almost a disappointment to find exactly what he'd described hastily on the journey there. A boring, normal apartment with magnolia walls, beige carpets and basic rooms. Big wow.

She walked in through the doorway and he followed like a shadow closing the door and immediately walking right. The hall consisted of a long corridor with a door at either end, the front door behind her and three doors on the wall opposite. Only one of the doors was open now, the one that Vincent had walked towards and from what she could tell it was a kitchen. There were the faint sounds of cupboards being opened and her stomach decided to growl loudly informing her that she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Walking slowly towards the open door, she continued to eye the bare walls almost hoping to find a hidden passageway or moveable picture. Her investigations led nowhere and she soon stood at the doorway.

"Sit down if you want," Vincent said without turning around from whatever he was doing. He stood in front of a large window next to a sink toying around with something on the bench. His keys and the Death Penalty lay on a table in the middle of the room with three chairs sat around it. Realising that he obviously meant for her to make herself comfortable, she walked over to the nearest chair and sat down to continue her surveillance. 

Warm light from the setting sun drifted lazily through the window that Vincent stood near and it bathed her and the table she sat at with a golden red glow. Like everything else she'd seen so far, the worktops were bare but the numerous cupboards and drawers probably hid

far more interesting things she decided. 

Vincent turned around and she noticed a kettle in his good hand and two cups in the claw. He put them down next to a plug on top of the bench and switched the kettle on.

"Tea or coffee?" he offered trying his best to act as a host but coming across as quite awkward, unused to entertaining people.

"Umm... tea please. Two sugars and lots of milk!" Yuffie beamed back, trying to act like a good guest; something that had never been her speciality.

He nodded and proceeded to make the drinks, turning around and placing them on the table and sitting down opposite Yuffie in the shadows once he'd finished. 

For a moment they sat in silence, Vincent drinking his coffee and Yuffie her tea. The young ninja struggled to make herself comfortable but it was difficult picking a conversation with her company. Vincent seemed unabated by the stifling stillness and sipped his drink quietly casting amused glances over at Yuffie who slurped her tea loudly despite her best efforts.

When the embarrassment of her inability to keep quiet became too much, Yuffie set her half-empty cup on the table and continued to glance around the room.

"You weren't kidding when you said it was boring... ." she muttered mildly irritated by Vincent's silence.

"Thank you," he responded flatly and she turned to him and blushed.

"Oh, gee. I'm sorry... I didn't mean it like that," she said defensively. "I guess I just expected it to be a little more... well... dark and 'Vincenty'."

"'Vincenty'…?"

"Yeah! Y'know... dark and gloomy. Spiders and bats everywhere with huge chandeliers and gothic arches," she grinned while he raised his eyebrows.

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"No... I'm not disappointed. Just a bit shocked I think," Yuffie finished absently as she strained her neck to get a view out of the window above the sink. The area that the apartment block stood in was in one of the classier areas of the new Midgar. It was where the yuppies and single, white-collar workers tended to live on their own, using their expensive flats as 'bachelor pads'. Somehow, Yuffie had problems seeing Vincent as someone like that. The view out of the window was down onto a vast square green surrounded by the apartment block that was shaped like a jagged 'U'. The roads that ran around it were cobbled like most others' in the city, and from what little information she'd heard from Vincent there was a weekly market along the main street. She hadn't seen a single piece of litter anywhere in the sector and everyone that she'd said 'hi' to had smiled brightly back at her. The whole area was friendly, light and airy... the complete opposite to Vincent. She began to wonder if this was the kind of place he'd lived in as a Turk.

"What made you choose this place?" she asked eventually voicing her thoughts.

"I'm not sure really. There's something comforting about the city. There are so many people with so many pasts that questions don't tend to be asked about your background. I'm surrounded by people but I'm as good as isolated in this apartment because it's so quiet," he seemed thoughtful as he looked out the window but his eyes flicked back to Yuffie who was listening attentively and trying in vain to understand his complex way of looking at things. "Besides, the man who lived here before died and I was in the right place at the right time."

Yuffie pulled a face. "Someone died here? Eww, that's gross! What did they die of?"

Vincent shrugged. "Not that it's important, but I think the seller said it was from old age."

"Aw that's sick. How can you face being in a place where an old guy passed out? Just think, he could've died right here where I'm sitting. Or maybe in your bedroom! You might be sleeping in the same room where someone kicked the bucket!" She made gagging sounds in mock sickness.

"It doesn't bother me. After all, I slept in a coffin for thirty-three years," Vincent answered emotionlessly and Yuffie fell silent with a shrug.

"I suppose," she mumbled hoping that she hadn't put her foot too far in her mouth. 

Silence descended on them once more as Yuffie thought hard of how to restart the half-dead conversation.

"So what are you doing in Midgar?" Vincent asked eventually to her surprise.

Surprise quickly made way for embarrassment as she began to blush and look down at the floor grinning sheepishly. "Umm... Tifa probably told you about this guy in Wutai whose been following me around for the past year?"

"Silvas," responded Vincent after casting his mind back to his conversation a few days earlier with the bar-hostess.

Yuffie nodded, slightly taken aback but not showing it beneath her self-conscious crimson mask. "Yeah... Silvas. Well... um, my dad really likes him and arranged marriages are a big thing back in Wutai. Because I'm the Lord's daughter, I'm meant to set some kind of example. Thing is though, I don't wanna get married but they're trying to force me into it. Anyway, girls are meant to get married at about twenty so I'm already a year overdue and it's been hard enough trying to drag it out that long. Dad knows that I really don't want to marry this guy but he wants me to like him at least, so me and this Silvas have been travelling together for the past few months."

Yuffie stopped and Vincent looked at her expectedly. "And that's it? Where is this... Silvas then?"

"Umm... he's kinda... wandering around Costa del Sol somewhere," she mumbled and Vincent felt the corners of his mouth turn up in a slight smile that was hidden within the folds of his dark cape.

"You've run away from him?"

"No... ." she protested half-heartedly. "Just... kinda... sneaked off in the middle night and forgot to tell him where I was going."

Vincent shook his head and sighed as he set his cup down on the table and looked out of the window, leaving Yuffie to stew in her own embarrassment. After a while she began to shuffle uncomfortably as she looked around for something else to initiate some kind of comfortable atmosphere. Her face brightening a little, she looked up at Vincent with a smile. "Hey? Are you gonna give me a grand tour?"

He turned his gaze back down at her eager face. "There isn't anything to see."

She jumped up and grabbed his good arm in an attempt to pull him to his feet. "C'mon! If you don't show me then I'll have to do a little exploring of my own." she threatened deviously and Vincent's eyes widened a little.

"Very well then," he agreed reluctantly as he stood up and shook off her grip. She skipped through the kitchen doorway and into the hall corridor while he followed her and stopped at the first door and opened it. She peered in and saw an ordinary bathroom with shiny blue tiles on the walls and floor. The light shed from a bulb in the ceiling was cold and clinical, almost like a laboratory of some kind. She wrinkled her nose and stepped back out as Vincent closed the door. 

He moved silently to the next one that stood opposite the front door and pushed it open.

Yuffie whistled through her teeth as she stepped into the room that seemed oddly out of place in the cold apartment. "Hey, this is more like what I had in mind!" she exclaimed as she took a few steps in.

She found herself in a lounge with all four walls covered from bottom to top with shelves stacked high with books; some new, some old. A single couch stood slightly away from the wall on her left at an angle facing a television on the far right corner hidden in the shadow of heavy, maroon coloured velvet curtains. Candles were placed strategically on some of the shelves which she guessed at night provided a dim but comforting light. They were obviously used often due to the wax dribbles that ran down their sides hanging like stalactites off of the undersides of some of the shelves. A single, small circular wooden table stood beside the nearest arm of the couch that had a book resting on it with it's pages splayed opened as if inviting someone to read it.

"Is this more... Vincenty?" he asked from the doorway with a hint of amusement.

Yuffie nodded as she walked up to one of the walls. "Gawd... how many books do you have?"

Vincent shrugged. "I can't say I've ever counted them. I'm afraid that there isn't anything interesting to do here but help yourself to them if you want to read."

Yuffie pulled a face but it was hidden as she stood with her back to him. Eventually snapping out of her trance, she walked back out of the room and once more into the hall where he showed her to the next room along the wall. He opened the door and stepped to one side.

"This will be your room while you stay here," he said simply.

Yuffie poked her head around the doorframe and looked in. It looked surprisingly warm and comfortable. A large window in the wall opposite her hung above a single bed with a thick and luxurious looking quilt lying on it. The walls were a creamy yellow and the curtains that hung at the window were blue checked like the quilt cover. A small pine cabinet with drawers sat beside the bed with a candle on top complimenting the wood of the bed. Yuffie walked in and pounced on the bed sinking a few inches in the thick covers and wanting nothing more than to wrap herself up in them and fall asleep.

"Will it be all right?" asked Vincent shattering the momentary feeling of relaxation.

Yuffie swung her legs over the side of the bed and nodded with a bright smile, her eyelids feeling suddenly heavy. Her stomach growled loudly and any thoughts of sleep were dispelled as she blushed furiously and futilely hoped he hadn't heard.

"I take it you're feeling hungry?"

Her cheeks a shade of red, she looked up at him and stifled an embarrassed laugh while he began to turn away and walk back down the corridor. She hopped off the bed and followed him, but stopped as her gaze caught a door at the opposite end of the corridor to the kitchen which Vincent hadn't shown her. 

"Hey Vinny, you never showed me in here," she called out as her hand went for the handle. As soon as it was within her grasp she felt a cold metallic hand clamp firmly on her shoulder. She turned around quickly, her breath stuck in her throat and saw Vincent standing behind her with a dangerous look in his eyes.

"That's my room," he said in a low voice. "I do not want you to go in there. Is that clear?"

Yuffie blinked, her eyes wide from shock and managed to nod in reply. Satisfied that she understood, Vincent turned and once more walked into the kitchen leaving his young guest with a sense of dread and horror at his menacing reaction.

"What's his problem?" she muttered in an attempt to shrug off his threat but fear crept up her spine and refused to go away. It wasn't long before another, more dangerous emotion took it's place; curiosity. What was in his room that he wanted hidden? Why did he react so badly when she even suggested looking? Didn't he trust her or was he hiding something_... like a dead body??_ Yuffie grinned at herself and her imagination. _It's his room, he can keep what he wants in there _she decided firmly, although she couldn't help a backward glance at the door which was shrouded in shadows as she walked into the kitchen.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Yuffie woke with a start. She'd been having a bizarre dream about men made out of tomatoes chasing her down an alley because she'd stolen their sacred celery.

__

That's the last time I eat cheese before I go to sleep she thought to herself irritatedly. 

She looked around quickly at her surroundings which were unfamiliar. After a few moments of examining the room she was in, thoughts and memories came together as she picked out the checked quilt she slept under and the half melted candle on her bedside table along with her watch.

__

Oh yeah... Vincent's home.

A shiver went through her as icy fingers played on her bare skin and chattering her teeth, she sank down deeply into the soft, warm quilt. She exhaled a deep and contented sigh and began to wonder how she'd got to bed. Her last memories were of sitting in the lounge and watching television while Vincent read. They'd eaten dinner earlier and ever since then she'd felt unbearably tired. Satisfied that she knew everything she could, an odd thought overcame her.

__

I didn't go to bed... I think I fell asleep on the couch.

Suddenly thoughtful, she lifted the quilt and looked down at herself. She was wearing what appeared to be a long black shirt; probably one of Vincent's and little else. Eyes wide in shock, she looked in one corner of her room and saw her trademark shorts, green tank top with long socks and sneakers folded neatly.

__

Eww... Vincent changed my clothes! she thought with a shudder, but quickly realised that he probably wouldn't have any kind of interest in a girl who was forty-five years younger than himself. She almost laughed at the very absurdity of the thought and began to close her eyes as sleep stole over her mind once more.

On the edge of unconscious, a quiet click brought her sharply back to reality. Holding her breath in fear and anticipation, she listened as the front door of the apartment opened and shut almost silently. She heard it lock and then soft footsteps approaching her room. Closing her eyes tightly, she heard the bedroom door creak open softly as someone peered in to check on her, probably Vincent. Satisfied that she was safe, he pulled back and closed the door. 

Yuffie remained in false sleep for another few seconds while she listened to his bedroom door open and close as he went in. She dared to roll over and exhale the breath she'd been holding in. Frowning in puzzlement she glanced over at her watch to note the time.

__

Four o'clock? she exclaimed mentally. _Why the hell did he go out this early in the morning? It's still dark outside._

Opening her mouth, she yawned loudly as her eyes began to droop once more. _I must be more tired than I thought_ she finished dozily as her eyelids gave up their personal battle and closed.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Daylight drifted through the cracks in the curtains and settled in pools of gold on the checked quilt. Yuffie opened her eyes with a degree of effort and stretched luxuriously after a surprisingly good night's sleep, yawning loudly and rubbing sleep from her half-opened eyes. She took a moment to adjust her vision and soon made out the room around her. A glance at the watch which still sat beside her bed informed her of the time; eleven am. Reluctantly braving the cold air of the room she swung her legs over the side of the bed and hastily dressed flinging Vincent's shirt messily on the end of her unmade bed. She crept out quietly daring a quick look at Vincent's bedroom door that remained closed and no sound came from it. Presuming that he was already awake, she made her way to the kitchen where she discovered a hastily written note on the table.

Yuffie pulled a face at the writing; Vincent's writing was overly italic and scriptic making it awkward to read even when he had all the time in the world to write. 

"'Help... yourself to _good_?'" Yuffie read aloud and pulled a face. "Oh, _food_. 'Feel free to leave the apartment but leave a note before you go. Take care and try not to let any strangers plant stolen materia in your pouch this time. I doubt that anyone will be around to help you sort out the 'misunderstanding', Vincent.'" Yuffie put her hands on her hips angrily. "That's awful. No one trusts me anyone... ."

Looking back down the corridor she'd come from it was clear that Vincent was still in bed. Remembering about his entry to the apartment early that morning, it made perfect sense to her although his motives were not so obvious. Scanning quickly through the cupboards and finding nothing except pasta and muesli she made a disapproving noise and scribbled an extra few sentences on the bottom of the piece of paper he'd left for her to read.

"'Dear Vinny,'" she began with a giggle. "Gone to get some _real_ food over at Tifa and Cloud's, back before it gets dark. C ya, Yuffie.'"

Grabbing her arm shield and Conformer from the lounge she left the apartment and walked out into the busy Sector Four market. 

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Jo! Two whiskies for table three and a cola with vodka on ten!" Tifa yelled as she walked briskly into the kitchen leaving the sound of loud chattering for the hisses and various aromas that occupied the hectic hub of Tifa's Seventh Heaven. The bar had just re-opened after the lunch break and it was busier than Tifa had seen it for a long time.

She looked around angrily at the steamy kitchen. Cloud and Joanne were helping her but Cid had promised to show his face after she informed him that Thursdays were citywide market days and work was busier than usual. 

"Damn that chain-smoking pilot," she muttered furiously as Cloud brushed past her holding a tray with dirty shot and pint glasses on it.

Letting out a long and weary sigh, she sat down for a few seconds on a conveniently placed chair in a quieter corner of the kitchen. She decided mentally to take a moment's rest closing her eyes and ears in an attempt to deny her overworked reality. Eventually feeling herself beginning to drift away and unwind she let out another sigh, more contented and felt waves of relaxation lap against her battered feet.

A loud crash and bang exploded in the air and her eyes flew open as the back door from the alleyway behind the bar into the kitchen was thrown open and Cid burst in with a dramatic entrance that only he could manage. Tifa leapt off her seat, her heart pounding in her ears as Cid leant up against one of the worktops and panted heavily, a crumpled newspaper in one of his hands. She rushed over expecting to find a troop of Shinra soldiers or hideous monsters following him but the alleyway was empty and he didn't seem to be in fear. Beginning to feel anger at his rude entry she stormed over to him.

"Cid Highwind! What the hell are you doing, rushing in here and scaring me witless?" she began furiously. "You'd promised to help me with the bar!"

He caught his breath and when he looked up there was a mask of seriousness unfamiliar to Tifa that took the place of the captain's jovial features. "Godamnit, Tifa," he swore breathlessly. "Haven't you heard the news today?"

Tifa frowned and shook her head, a sense of sudden dread taking over where tranquillity had existed before. "No, what's happened?"

Cid waved the newspaper in her face and a glance was all she needed before her heart almost stopped and her knees felt as though they were going to collapse from underneath her. Without another word, she sprinted through to the bar and clapped her hands loudly.

"Everyone, we're closing early!" she yelled over the hubbub. At the sound of her voice, the customers stopped talking and looked up at the proprietress curiously. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience but due to circumstances beyond my control, Tifa's Seventh Heaven will be closed until further notice."

There were angry and puzzled mutterings coming from the crowd as it sifted back out onto the streets holding half-finished drinks pondering the cause of the bar's early closing.

Once the double doors were closed Cloud and Joanne walked over to Tifa curiously; completely oblivious to why she'd suddenly shut the bar.

"Tifa, what's going on?" asked Cloud immediately with a tea towel draped over his shoulder. "Has something happened?"

Tifa grabbed the newspaper that Cid had been clutching and spread it out on the bar counter. There were sharp inhalations from Cloud and Joanne as the headline blared out the shocking news to them, ' **_Vice Mayor Reeve Jameson missing_**.'

"Reeve? Gone?? But how... and why?" Cloud questioned, eyes wide from disbelief.

Tifa cleared her throat and raised the tabloid to eye level as she began to read. "'It has been confirmed by the Midgar Post that Vice Mayor Reeve Jameson is missing, presumed kidnapped. According to sources from inside the Midgar Offices, he has been missing since Tuesday without any indication of his whereabouts. The incident is being treated seriously and the Midgar Police Department has been put onto the case. Although we attempted to get interviews with the employees of the Office we were unable to get any information of suspected groups which could have carried out the offence or motives. It is generally believed that the kidnapping has been carried out by one of the many groups who opposed the rebuilding of Midgar due to environmental reasons and have held Vice Mayor Reeve as the one responsible for the regeneration of the once ruined city. A single statement was given by Cait Sith, hero of the Meteor Crisis and Vice Mayor Reeve's confidante and advisor in which he was quoted as saying that the situation is being looked at closely although they have no lead on the culprits. No notes have been sent and no demands have been made. It is still however a serious matter and the Turks have been put on the case. The Midgar Post shall continue to cover the story as it progresses and as with any other serious occurrence, if anyone has any information which may be beneficial to the Police's investigations then they are recommended to come forward. Continued on pages two and three... .'" 

Tifa put the newspaper down while everyone shook their heads in sadness. Reeve had always confided in them saying that he suspected that it wouldn't be long before some threat was made on his life but he'd always taken the whole matter light-heartedly. It was a blow to the three AVALANCHE members to hear that one of their own was in danger.

"I, Is there anything we can do?" asked Tifa quietly but Cloud shook his head.

"If anyone can get him back, it's the Turks. I, I'm sure that Reeve'll be fine. Let's try not to worry," he soothed with a touch of doubtfulness in his voice.

"Damnit. There must be somethin' we can do. I don't wanna sit on my ass while I'm here knowin' that Reeve's in danger," Cid swore angrily. 

A solemn silence fell upon the small group while Joanne stood to one side feeling uncomfortable in the stillness. "Umm... can I get anyone anything?" she asked quietly but Tifa shook her head.

"You can go home if you want, Jo," she responded quietly. The young waitress nodded curtly and left without a sound in order to avoid disturbing the three friends.

"Damn... Reeve," Cloud muttered. "Maybe if we contacted Reno... ."

"He'll probably be busy with all of this," answered Tifa. "You were right before. There's nothing we can do. If they need our help than we can let them come to us."

"Maybe we could see if we can getta hold of 'em anyway. It might be worth seein' if they need some helping hands?" suggested Cid but the answer remained the same. The sound of the kitchen door opening caused everyone to look up eagerly, perhaps in some faint hope that someone somewhere heard their prayers and decided to send the Turks. Yuffie stood at the doorway looking around with curiosity.

"Where is everyone?" she asked innocently. "Everyone seems so gloomy in town."

"Yeah... Reeve's been kidnapped," Cloud replied sorrowfully while Yuffie's face dropped. "He's been missing for two days."

"Oh no... That's awful."

Everyone nodded sadly as she walked over to join them as they sat down around one of the bar tables.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Yuffie asked quietly but she received shakes of sorrowful

heads.

"The Turks are on the case. They'll contact us if they need help. But knowing them arrogant bastards..." Cid began, his voice getting louder with each syllable from anger until Tifa put a soothing hand on his arm.

"There's no sense in wasting away here and getting annoyed about it. All we can do is wait... and hope... ."

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Four days passed with the same routines and no more news from the Midgar Offices regarding Reeve's capture. Tifa's Seventh Heaven remained closed and the members of AVALANCHE sat around uselessly, a feeling of helplessness overwhelming them. At one point Cid had to be forcefully restrained to stop him from marching up to the Midgar Offices and demanding to be told what the hell was happening. But no respite came and Reeve's whereabouts remained anonymous. 

Yuffie muttered angrily as she turned off the television in Vincent's lounge. For the past few days there had been news broadcasts on all of the channels about what was happening with Reeve. They all said the same thing; 'no sign or information yet'. As worried as the young ninja was, she was getting bored with the repetitive nature television was taking on. She'd never much liked it but experience had taught her that it wasn't wise to try stealing materia in the busy streets of Midgar. TV had been one of the only things to do and it was a poor one.

Yuffie twisted her head around and examined the only remaining alternative; reading. The young ninja pulled a disgusted face at the thought of sitting down and staring at words for any great length of time. Without another option however, she reluctantly slipped off the couch and looked over the shelves. There were books ranging from chocobo anatomy to children's stories. She began to wonder whether Vincent truly had sat down and read through his entire library; whether he even knew half of the books he'd accumulated. Pacing up and down the wall her gaze eventually fell on one of the books which seemed more interesting than the rest. It was pale blue with a fraction of a picture visible and black, printed writing along the spine. She gently took the novel off the shelf and wiped the thin layer of dust from it's front. The completed picture was one was of a young girl standing over a bizarrely beautiful landscape, a large mirror stood on her left and a strange crowd of people were gathered below her. The gold print along the top revealed the book's title, **_'Alice Through the Looking Glass and what she found there_**'. 

Yuffie felt oddly intrigued by the strange book in her hands. In Wutai when she'd been growing up she had been forced to sit down and memorise pages of religious text about Da-Chao and Leviathan by her father which had probably put her off reading for life. However, this book seemed different. It was obviously a child's book but she wasn't in the mood for reading anything too in depth and this looked perfect.

Vincent was sat in the kitchen cleaning the Death Penalty from what she knew. He hated it when she watched the television and she wondered to herself why he'd even brought one in the first place if he found it so obnoxious. Not seeing the point in disturbing him, she curled up on the couch and opened the book at the first page and became immediately engrossed in the colourful language and descriptions.

It wasn't long before a shadow was cast over the page and her head jerked up suddenly in fright.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Vincent apologised to Yuffie who was panting heavily from panic.

"Y'know, a footstep wouldn't go amiss sometimes," she said angrily receiving a look which was a cross between odd amusement and puzzlement off her dark companion.

He glanced down at the book which she still held open on her lap. "What are you reading?"

"Oh... umm, it's called Alice Through the Looking Glass and what she found there." Yuffie recited absently after looking down at it and them turning back to him. "I dunno what the hell the guy who wrote it was on at the time," she grinned.

"What is it about?"

"It's really weird. It's about some kid who walks through a big mirror and goes into this strange world where everything's backwards," she answered, her brow knitted in thought. "Everything seems so different to how it appears normally."

"Perhaps it's not as strange as you may think... maybe it's more like reality than you realise... ." Vincent said quietly but wistfully. Yuffie frowned up at him but he was staring into space, his thoughts elsewhere. Snapping out of them eventually, he looked down to meet her gaze. "I'm going out for a walk now. I won't be back until late... so don't bother waiting."

He left the room as silently and as mysteriously as he'd entered and Yuffie waited until she heard the front door close before she decided to push any unwelcome thoughts to the back of her mind so that she could continue reading. 

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

A clock chiming in the distance aroused her from her sleep and as she moved and stretched a loud thump brought her fully back to consciousness. She looked down at the book which had slipped off her lap as she moved, the bright cover mocking her and getting some sick amusement out of her sudden fright. Yuffie rubbed her stiff neck and regretted allowing herself to fall asleep on the couch. 

She looked up at the clock on the mantle piece over the lounge fire and read 3 o'clock; judging by the darkness outside it was morning. She stretched and stood warily from the couch as though her legs were unused to the exercise and had to be treated carefully. Listening for a moment and looking around it was quickly obvious that Vincent still hadn't returned from what ever it was he went out to do. She shrugged. If there was one thing that Yuffie was good at, it was finding something to amuse herself. She placed the book carefully on the table that stood beside the couch and walked out to the hall. Still nothing. He was definitely still away.

She sauntered lazily over to the kitchen where to her surprise she saw the Death Penalty lying on the table. It certainly wasn't like him to go out and leave it behind. She shrugged again. The day she understood Vincent would be the day that she gave up materia hunting; both were very unlikely. Sighing she turned off the light and walked back down the narrow corridor to her own room in the knowledge and feeling of defeat that there truly was nothing to do in Vincent's home. Reaching the entrance, she put a hand on the walnut door preparing to push it open when something caught her attention. The door to Vincent's room had always sat at a right angle to her own, shrouded in shadow staring darkly down the hall towards the kitchen. It had always remained closed; barred from her and the rest of the world but now it sat slightly ajar, literally inviting her in to taste its secrets. 

She licked her suddenly dry lips and glanced towards the front door which seemed to be there to warn her. It was threatening to open any second to show Vincent standing behind it, watching her with a malicious glare at her contemplation of going against his orders. However, Vincent's room was calling to her now, begging her to enter so that it could share its dark history, allow her to share the burden of whatever evil lurked within. Although the metaphorical eyes of the front door continued to burn holes into her soul, she found her body acting against reason and fully pushing open the door to Vincent's room as it called tantalisingly to her. Before she even had the chance to reprimand and knock some sense into herself she had taken the first step into the unknown. 

As if sensing the drama and tension, a thunderclap outside signified the beginning of a storm; a storm in the world and a storm in her life. She _knew_ it was wrong. She _knew_ that she shouldn't go in but she couldn't help it. A flash of lightening illuminated the room momentarily leaving an imprint in her mind of what it looked like and the following darkness called her on like a siren chanting for a sailor to join her on the rocks. Her palms grew sweaty and her breathing became shallow but she wasn't quite sure why. From the brief light there didn't seem to be anything unusual. The room was very dark with heavy black velvet curtains at the windows and a large double bed in the middle of the room. Vincent had said that he hadn't bothered with decorating of any kind but the walls of the room stood a midnight black, an unusual colour for the previous occupant (_an old man had Vincent said?) _to colour a main bedroom. No, this was Vincent's work. But why? Why the obsessions of hiding his room from light and from the rest of the world…? 

She took another step. She was fully inside the room now and the aura of the place began to eat away at her soul. The shadows always seemed to gather around her dark friend and so they seemed to be concentrated in his sleeping area. The feeling of depression and sorrow hung in the air and made it difficult for her to breathe as though it were tar and she was about to drown in its thick black depths. She could almost feel the tendrils of the solid mass of shadows that clung to the corners reaching out and brushing against her bare skin. She'd faced certain death, looked a demi-god in the eye but the very emotion of being in that room terrified her more than anything else she'd ever done before. Nonetheless, she took another step and another flash skewered across the sky and lit her dark path. The bed stood at an awkward angle in the room forcing a single 'walkway' around its sides and the base snaking around its foot and across the window. Yuffie found herself following the path until she stood at the first bottom corner of the foot. She swallowed nervously. _What am I doing here? What do I hope to find...? What do I hope not to... ?_

Her silent questions went unanswered and her heart leapt for a second as a drumming on the windowpane began.

"It's only rain... its only rain..." she whispered repetitively to herself in an effort to calm her shaky nerves. The fat rain droplets hit the glass and although only light, they echoed around the room like an army marching to an eerie, unheard tune. All unsynchronised and drilling into her mind.

Another flash. This time as she looked straight ahead an object was momentarily illuminated. As the ensuing thunder rolled around the dark room she moved towards it and soon stood before a bookcase previously unnoticed in the shadows. An odd smell clung around the wooden shelves, something which seemed strangely familiar. As she moved her head closer to the small bookcase the smell took on an undeniably chemically stench, easily recognisable as Mako. Although puzzled by the bizarre scent she ran her fingers down the spines of the large books which stood with an almost gravity defying grace on the thin shelves. Even in the poor lighting she saw puffs of dust float off them and she stifled a cough as the ancient grime tickled her lungs. Covering her mouth and nose with one hand to protect herself feebly against the toxic Mako stench and the dirt she moved even closer so that she could read the names of the books. They were obviously very old and had been ignored for some length of time. That was easy to see by the poor state they were in and the staleness of to leather covers. The writing on the spines was in an italic hand painted on by gold ink which had begun to fade and flake off. Unable to see the writing properly her hand went towards one of the books and she pulled the heavy tome from its place and dumped it unceremoniously on the end of Vincent's bed. In the faint light from the open doorway she brushed the thin layer of dirt from the front cover and raised her eyebrows in surprise as the choking dust settled. In clear fluidic writing the title **_'JENOVA project: Volume I'_** was painted on the top of the cover. From her limited knowledge, the writing was undeniably Hojo's and the muddled thoughts in her mind began to come together with startling clarity. Old scientific books about Jenova, the stale Mako smell and the association with Hojo all added up until they reeked with the Shinra Mansion's dark secrets.

__

Why does Vincent have books from that old dump...? She thought rhetorically.

Flicking through the yellowed pages and finding nothing of interest apart from complex scientific formulae and page after page of Hojo's monotonous drone, she pushed the book back into its place and pulled another out at random. She repeated the same procedure of wiping the cover to make the title intelligible to her eyesight but taking a step back, she gasped in shock.

Although this book was from the same place as the previous one, this one had a different story to tell. In similar gold writing on the front cover with horrific crispness were the words **_'JENOVA project: ALPHA. Subject specimen; Valentine, Vincent. Volume III'_**. She blinked and whistled through her teeth in disbelief. No wonder Vincent had been so secretive about this room. 

Glancing back at the bookshelf she quickly counted the total of twenty books. If this was volume three of whatever Vincent went through, for all she knew fifteen out of the remainders could also be about him. God only knew what he went through so it was no surprise that he wanted them kept away from prying eyes. _Like her own..._ she thought with a terrible feeling of guilt swelling in her mind.

__

Jenova project though...? Why Jenova project? What did he have to do with that? he was just fiddled around with by Hojo for a year wasn't he...?

Unable to stop herself she opened the book until she reached the first page of writing. It didn't take her long to see that it was in some kind of diary form. It appeared as though Hojo kept every day in detail up until the time he was forced to stop his tortures. One of Hojo's negative points, as he'd even admitted himself, was that he was a stickler for accuracy, a perfectionist, an obsessive... . It didn't completely shock her to see that every entry seemed to take up about five pages each. Although it was difficult in the dim light and the disintegrating old pages, Yuffie succeeded in reading the first page of writing and had to stop afterwards, her face pale and her breathing shallow.

She expected it to be completely full of scientific jargon and nonsense like the others, but this was something else. Something much more terrifying. Although he went into detail of his experiments, it was with a fiendish vigour. He punctuated every sentence with some derogatory comment about Vincent, with some sly undertone telling of how much he despised and loathed the Turk. The fury was overpowering, almost emanating from the pages themselves until she felt physically sick; from the aura hatred as well as the operation detail. 

__

"Day 106. Valentine seems to be coping surprisingly well with the Mako transactions. I must admit that I am surprised at his tolerance although with his being in the Turks I suppose I should have expected this unusually high resilience. 

103 days have passed since I first caught him when he barged into my laboratory that stormy night. Heh heh heh, this almost sounds like a horror story doesn't it? Well, perhaps it is for him. Unfortunately he is the monster in this particular tale. I suppose that would make me the tragic hero...? Mwa, ha, haa! After all, he is the wicked fiend who stole my 'darling Lucrecia' from me... the bastard. He can have her... in fact; he's **welcome** to her. He can have her in hell and know forever that she is my gift to him. Every time he looks at her he will know that I am the one who has given him what he wanted and so he is indebted to me for eternity. If I wanted her, I could've kept her. It was my choice that things would be this way. **My choice**! Do you hear that you bastard? Yes! I had this planned all along! I never like you, you never liked me and this is your punishment. I saw you looking at me from the corner of your eye every time we passed in the corridor, you in your pristine uniform and me in my lab coat. I was higher than you, always higher than you. But you would always wear that smug and arrogant look on your face whenever you glanced in my direction. You always thought that you knew something I didn't.... well I did! And now look where it has gotten you! You took Lucrecia and thought that it would give you prestige over me, but I knew all along. You never loved her! You used her to get above me. I see you Valentine, I see you for the demon you are. The demon that you hide behind that cold visage and that blue suit.

I see it Mr. Valentine and I will ensure that one day the rest of the world shall see it too. That is my aim... I will bring out the monster you are, deep inside. The one you hide, the one who looks across the room at me whenever we are together. The one that took Lucrecia and pretended to love her. Yes... the demon... It shall be as black as your heart and then everyone will know the evil that resides within you. Heh, heh, heh!

Today I continued my experiments on his shape shifting abilities. I do not think that it shall be long before I am able to begin the final stages in which I am intending on giving him the demonic form I have planned. The only thing that restricts me is the difficulty of finding the correct balance to initiate such a powerful transformation. It may be many months before I am able to carry out this particular operation but I have recently been given a new assistant who goes by the name of Janus. He is overly curious with an almost dangerous burning desire to ask questions... heh, heh, heh! He almost reminds me of myself which I suppose is why I am so wary of him... .

Today I gave him the privilege of watching me perform an experiment on Mr. Valentine. 

The Turk has easily absorbed the other three forms given to him by me; the very figments of horror stories, how very appropriate! The Galian Beast, the Death Gigas and Hellmasker. I suppose that I should have forewarned Janus about the intensity and violence of Valentine's transformations but it appears that I (heh, heh, heh) **forgot** to mention the cause for safety and so he received a fright when Valentine changed into a hideous monster before his eyes. Fortunately it was only the Beast otherwise I believe he may have been killed by the delay he took to evacuate the library.

However, despite my moment of arrogance we succeeded in tranquillising Valentine so I could show my student the depth of the genius that I am. We dragged the beast's body onto the large desk in the library and I proceeded to open the chest whereupon I took some amusement in noticing Janus' queasiness. I pointed out how the very anatomy of Valentine altered with the form. It was visible that the stomach and lungs had enlarged while the trachea had shortened disabling the use of his voice box therefore preventing him for making any intelligible sounds other than bestial growls and snarls in the feral form. Most of the organs had been pushed upwards and into the protected rib cage leaving the more vulnerable abdomen less of a disadvantage. The ribcage itself was very thick and strong as I allowed Janus to discover as he put all of his weight on the bone. The whole bone structure of the skeleton had changed dramatically also. The bones themselves were denser and therefore thicker making him much more protected against breaks in more fragile areas such as the limbs and skull. We took several samples of the bone by chipping away pieces from random parts in the body and we also took some tissue samples that I shall give to Janus to toy with later. It is time he started to learn how to process such menial jobs; something I image he will be doing much of in his stay here.

After the examination which took approximately two hours, we sewed the beast back together and left it to wake in it's own time. I must admit that the incision I made was considerably larger than I am used to making and it should give Valentine something else to hide beneath the dark shrouds he insists on wearing to hide his appearance. I have recently given him a set of clothing which has been created in the labs back in Midgar. From what I have heard it is intended for the Shinra army in an effort to reduce clothing costs due to its resilience and ability to mend itself when torn or damaged. Test items were sent to me and they have proved to be perfect for Valentine. They remain with him throughout his transformations has have saved me much trouble in locating a ready supply of clothing to cover himself up with. He certainly does not seem to approve of wearing a lab coat! The clothes are black and I suppose are perfect for him. To my amusement he has taken a liking to them already. Mwa, ha, ha! One of my aims was to break him down and make him suffer for interfering with my plans but he seems to be doing an excellent job of it himself. I believe that within a matter of weeks I will be able to offer him the chance of freedom and watch him decline through his own choice! Perhaps he truly did have feelings for Lucrecia... at night I hear him talk to himself about her and sometimes he seems to be having a conversation to her but I cannot hear her reply. Maybe he is going mad. I hope not. That would provide him with a release from my tortures which would defeat the very purpose of me confining him here. He shall suffer for what he has done and I shall give him no release be it death or madness. He will take whatever punishment I choose to give to him. He seems to be getting used to the idea. As a matter of fact he no longer complains... I think he believes Lucrecia's death his own fault and I am not prepared to tell him otherwise. 

He may become less co-operative if I do... ."

Yuffie swallowed and closed the book, her face as pale as the wane moon that shone through a slight crack in the thick curtains. She knew that Vincent had faced hell over that year but he had never said anything that gave any in depth idea to the extent of his nightmares. Hojo truly had hated the poor man and the terrible thing was that he used Vincent's own emotions to an advantage. What a monster... what a sick and twisted cruel man he was... . 

Yuffie shuddered and turned around to push the hellish book back into its place.

Turning around, she prepared to walk away when there was another nagging thought in the back of her mind; curiosity again. She couldn't leave it at that. Maybe before she left she could have a look at one more book. Just to see how Hojo finally put an end to Vincent's misery. All of her fears and worries would be rewarded with that single piece of information. It was like one of the books off Vincent's shelves; some of the stories were sad and you really began to sympathise with the characters yet you continue to read. Despite the negative feelings it pushes upon you, you cannot help but read until your sorrow is rewarded with the joy of a happy ending. She inwardly likened Vincent's own tale to her metaphor and a smile crept on her face. She turned back to the bookcase and began reading the faded spines until she found the final book in Vincent's series with a grim satisfaction at her justification of her dishonour.

She pulled it out and sat on the corner of the bed with the heavy tome on her lap. Flicking quickly through it she discovered that only half the pages had been used and the others remained pure and untouched by Hojo's poisoned ink and words. She flipped to the final diary entry and became quickly enthralled.

__

"Day 374. Those vigilant enough of you enough to observe the dates on my entries will see that I have missed two weeks out of this 'diary'. As you may have read in my last entry, President Shinra has decided that all scientists will be moved back to the Shinra HQ to continue experiments on the child Sephiroth whom has recently had his first birthday and is already showing signs of increased ability and intelligence. Lucrecia would've been proud, heh, heh, heh!

Due to the cut in funding to the Mansion I have been forced to kill off most of my experiments because many of them although brilliant are unauthorised and probably illegal. This unfortunately included Mr. Valentine a.k.a, the 'missing Turk' that seems to have become something of a legend at the HQ. I gave him a severe overdose of Mako energy two weeks ago to kill him as slowly and painfully as I could through poisoning. My inability to create the demon transformation within him over this past year made me see that it was a pointless quest that only diverted my attention from the extraordinary child who is my main concern. Because of this there was no point in sustaining Valentine's life and I decided to give him the release of death he has been begging me for, for so long now. Instead of dying within a week as I had expected him to, he somehow held on to his pathetic life until he regained consciousness yesterday. This of course was an incredible phenomenon and earlier today when he was strong enough, Janus and I paid him a little visit with the intention of performing several more experiments.

We entered the library at 10am whereupon we saw Valentine sat in his usual place in one of the more shadowy corners of the room. He glared at us from the darkness and as startling as it was, one of the first things we noticed as we saw him was the odd colouring of his eyes. It had changed from a dark brown to a red, blood-like hue which almost seemed to glow in the light (NB could the overuse of Mako cause this change of colouring in the irises? To be explored in further depth.). His face seemed very pale although this is expected for someone who has been in a coma for under a fortnight I suppose. As soon as we saw him, his fists clenched and his eyes took on a murderous gleam as he began to feel the anger that initiated his transformations steeling upon him. Janus has often joked that Valentine is a good example of the 'Pavlov' theory in which certain stimuli can cause pre-emptive effects in the body as was experimented using dogs. Over the months I have been inducing my experiments on Valentine so much that he hates me even more so and to begin his changes I simply have to walk into a room! Heh, heh, heh! As a matter of fact, Janus often calls Valentine my 'pet' which only serves to infuriate him further!

I approached him and asked how he was feeling but he simply stood up and continued to stare at me.

"You said you were going to kill me, you bastard," he growled maliciously.

"Now, now Mr. Valentine," I responded calmly. "This is as unexpected for me as I'm sure it is for you. Janus and I would like to perform a few tests and then I promise you that we will-"

"No!" he snarled. "I'm **sick** of your promises Hojo. I want to get away from this hell. I don't want to be sliced open and prodded any longer. Please..." he said his eyes shutting wearily. "Just **kill** me... ."

"You know we can't do that, Vincent," stated Janus as he stepped beside me. "Through all of your sins you have the chance to redeem yourself by aiding us to improve the human race. Do you not want to help your fellow man?"

"He's no man," I hissed and watched Valentine's reaction with glee. "He's a monster! He has no say over his life any longer. Look what he has done to it; he has killed countless people, murdered the innocent... failed to protect Lucrecia."

"No..." moaned Valentine as he dropped to the floor and held his head.

"Yes! You cannot escape from your crimes. You do not **deserve** death..."

"Please...!"

"You deserve to suffer hell for what you did... or should that be what you **failed** to do?" I spat. "Lucrecia is dead and it is your fault. You shall remain my experiment forever... let that be burnt into your mind you blood stained freak! I will never release my grasp on you and when you do die you shall continue to twist in your minds' torment knowing that I will always be better than you...!"

"NO!" Valentine roared suddenly, the anger in his voice almost overpowering. I stumbled back but Janus remained where he was, too transfixed by the infuriated man to move. I fear that his inability to react under unexpected circumstances shall one day prove to be his downfall. A regretful end to who I believe is a promising scientist.

"I will tear you limb from limb Hojo!" Valentine hissed as his eyes began to glow even brighter and a more obvious red until the white of his eyes were swamped by the hellish light. "I'll make you pay for what you have done...!"

Valentine took a step froward but his face contorted with pain and with a cry of agony he dropped to the floor and clutched his stomach. I began to back away to the door as Janus stood watching the hideous event with morbid fascination. 

The Turk screamed with agony and vomited blood across the floor as it smeared all over his little exposed skin. As I watched he began to change; twisting and growing as the shadows themselves seemed to gather around him, sticking to him like a black skin. He cried out again but it came out as a terrifying roar and a pair of massive red and black bat-like wings burst from his back and flapped clumsily against the shelves knocking books across the floor. He roared again and was still for a few seconds before he growled and lifted his head. 

The eyes glowed red, a startling contrast to the black skin which was now covering his body. A huge pair of horns jutted back from his face and a pair of overly pointed ears pointed backwards in the same direction. A set of white fangs protruded over his bottom lip and the overall effect was of a feline-like visage. He twisted around and pushed himself off the floor into a position that allowed him to stand. As he tried to draw himself up to his full height the horns scraped across the roof forcing the demon to stoop drastically. The sight was very terrifying and overwhelming but looking at him, I must admit, I was elated with satisfaction that I had finally succeeded in inducing the demonic change despite my compromising circumstance. 

I believe that the creature stood approximately 10ft tall from toes to the crown of its head, although in the cramped room it was difficult to tell (*****see diagrams following). It let out a horrific roar and lunged forward as I leapt back. Janus broke out of whatever hypnosis he'd been under and began to run but he was too late and the demon raked its claws down his leg reducing it to a bloody mess. I heard his screams but did not turn back to help him. The damn fool should have run when he had the chance; I wasn't prepared to go back and risk my life to save someone who was too stupid to save himself. I sprinted out of the door and was about to close it when by some unnatural strength, Janus limped out of the room just as it slammed shut. 

We rested for a few moments before the door began to shake and a massive clawed hand burst through the old wood. We began to run and didn't look back even when Valentine let out a pained cry and his padded footsteps followed us no longer. We didn't dare to stop and look to see if we were safe. We are the only scientists left in the house and if we'd died earlier today then it could've been weeks before we were discovered. The very thought still makes me shudder... .

It wasn't until lunch when I dared to go back down to that place. Valentine lay on the floor unconscious in his 'human' form (I use the word loosely) with puddles of his own vomit and blood lying around him. The transformation must be a very taxing experience and I only wish that I were able to examine this new level of evolution further. 

I had to order someone from the town to restore the door to the lab to disguise all traces of a disturbance. However I could not leave the body of that conceited Turk lying around for anyone to see in case they remembered him, even in his nightmarish guise

I dragged his body to the crypt and threw an old skeleton from its coffin and dumped Mr Valentine inside. I couldn't kill him, not after what I achieved. I, Professor Hojo have succeeded in personifying mans' darkest emotions, I gave Valentine's evil and darkness a form. I was not prepared to destroy him and forget about it when I knew I could return at a later date and complete my work. 

I concocted a mixture of chemicals from the lab which I knew would induce a state of deep sleep and injected them directly into his brain. I do not know if this will have the desired effect but it was intended to put him into a hibernation like state so that I could retrieve him when that fool Gast is out of the way and can hinder my research no longer. It may be many years before I return to this place but I am confident that he will remain 'alive' for a great length of time.

Valentine will not be completely without choice in his life. But one thing I can promise you; when and **if** he does wake up, he will come to me. I have faith in that. I have scarred him too deeply for him to walk away and ignore me. Even if I do decide leave him there forever I know he will seek me out. Perhaps then I shall be allowed to finish what I have started.... .

By Professor T. Hojo

Diary ends."

Yuffie shivered in alarm from the terrible extract from the book she'd read. What did Hojo mean about 'finishing what he had started' and who was Janus? So many questions stirred by the book and with a deep sorrow she realised that she would never find out. A distant thunderclap and spark of lightning drew her attention back to the storm outside which seemed to be intensifying with each passing minute. 

Glancing down at the book she felt a numb sense of satisfaction. Much of Vincent's past had always remained a huge enigma but this single extract clarified much of the unanswered queries raised by the dark member of AVALANCHE. None of them could have imagined the depth of the hatred that existed between the insane scientist and the ex-Turk. This certainly helped to explain how Vincent came to join the group.

She stood up and awkwardly carried the book towards the shelf so that she could put it back in its rightful place disguising all traces of her exploration. A sudden and loud explosion of thunder directly above the apartment block caused her to jump and almost drop the book. Nature seemed to be raging with all of its fury at her desecration of Vincent's privacy. Hoisting the book up, a flash filled the room and another loud booming followed. But, there was something different... something _very_ wrong. Although the storm was directly overhead the noise sounded much nearer. 

Yuffie spun around; her heart in her mouth and blood rushing through her ears. Hit with an immensely powerful force, the door of Vincent's bedroom burst open almost coming off its hinges and cracking against the wall. The book slipped out of Yuffie's grasp as her jaw dropped and terrified eyes focused of a silhouetted figure standing in the light thrown out by the hall. A pair of red demonic eyes stared back at her with horrifying fury and the young girl found her breath caught in her lungs. The book hit the floor as another glare of lightning forked through the dark clouds outside and momentarily lit up the black room; a rumbling thunder resounded in her ears with deafening loudness. The yellowed pages opened and flicked in the strong breeze rushing in from the open door. Yuffie's laboured breathing and the rustling paper were the only sounds in the room as even the ferocity of the elements outside paled in Vincent's fury.

"Get out." 

The voice wasn't raised but there was a strain in it as Vincent obviously held himself back from doing something terrible. The maliciousness in his voice was hypnotically powerful however and Yuffie found herself more stationary than she had been before though it was more out of fear than anything else. She began to tremble but she couldn't tear her eyes away from his blood red stare.

With inhuman speed and strength, Vincent leapt across the huge bed until he stood in front of the window. He span around to face Yuffie who had backed up against the wall in an effort to escape from him.

"I SAID GET OUT!" he yelled his voice taking on a bestial ferocity with a rage that she had never even thought of him as capable of. 

Spurned out of her still stature, Yuffie took a few fearful and faltering steps towards the door as Vincent raised his left hand and clawed it. Light gleamed off the golden surface and she sprinted away from him as he brought it down in a swipe that tore into the bookcase and obliterated tomes in an explosion of paper. As Yuffie dived out of the door she began to hear Vincent coming after her.

"GET OUT!! GET OUT!! GET OUT!!" he roared over and over again until overcome by fear she began to cry out but she didn't stop moving. Opening the front door she ran out and slammed it shut behind her. The sound of something hurling into it only furthered her terror. 

Tears ran down her cheeks as she ran with all of her strength into the street. They mingled with the rain and rivulets of water streamed down her face and off her clothes. Her hair was plastered to her forehead and she choked on her panicked sobs as she ran through the deserted streets and alleys uncertain of where she was going but only knowing that she had to escape from Vincent. 

The storm raged on and lightening and thunder battled overhead with incredible strength. Gusts of wind almost blew her from her feet but regardless of all except her own life she ran on into the night.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

She wasn't sure how long she ran or even how she knew where to go. The only thing that she had any knowledge of was the burning in her lungs and legs. And the fear. The dreadful fear that pushed and urged her on. The very thought of Vincent behind her was enough to make her sprint even though her legs were knotted with pain.

Running through an unfamiliar alleyway she finally collapsed; the exertion had finally become too much for her to bear. She only had the energy to drag herself to the nearest door and bang on it before everything went black... .

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Yuffie...? Oh my God! Cloud help me! It's Yuffie! Something terrible's happened... !"

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

What is this that I see in you?  
You just want to shroud away.  
I just want to help you,  
But you cower from my touch.

We were partners in fighting,  
Now you are never around.  
You seem to be fighting your own battle,  
In some way I can't see.

I was just looking for a refuge,  
I was a bit curious about you.  
You were in such a rage;  
I had no choice, as you chase me faster than the storm itself.

__

27.2.2000

By Irvine Quest

~Lucrecia Marionette~


	3. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

****

by Lucrecia Marionette

__

~Chapter 3~

'"Honour the Charge they made!"'

________________________________________________________

"Is he asleep?"

"Dunno... mebbe he's dead?"

There was a shocked gasp. "Don't say things like that you moron. _'You-know-who'll'_ have our heads if anything happens to this guy."

"C'mon... mebbe we should go in. Y'know... just give him a kick in the ribs to see if he's alive...?"

"Stop sounding so hopeful. I swear, the minute my back turns I wouldn't be surprised if you ran in there and beat the crap outta him."

"Ha, ha, ha!"

"What's so funny?"

"You're probably right! Heh, heh, heh!"

"Don't laugh like that... it freaks me out. It reminds me of _him_ and that creeps me out enough as it is. Anyway, _I'll_ go in and check on the prisoner. I don't trust you as far as I could throw you."

"Ah... you probably couldn't even lift me up!"

"Brains are more important than brawn nowadays. There are hardly any monsters around anymore and if a guy wants to survive it has to be by wits alone. That's why I'm the Commander and you're the soldier, capiche?"

"You're only the commander because you're such a brown nose... . Heh, heh, heh!"

"You did it again... .Oh, it doesn't matter. I'm going on there and if I don't come out then you'll have to find someone else to kick your ass at cards!"

A set of keys jangled noisily and the sound of a rusty lock turning screeched loudly through the small dark room. Reeve lay as still as he could, his breaths shallow and quiet in an effort to feign unconsciousness. The cold metallic floor was starting to sting against his cheek and feigning a collapse of some kind was becoming increasingly difficult. The prison door creaked open and a set of loud footsteps entered the room and came towards him.

"Hey. Hey Blue Suit," said the obnoxious commander who walked in to check on him. "You awake?"

Reeve's muscles tensed but he remained still. _I just have to wait a little more time and I'll be out of here... ._

"Um, Ben?" he heard the commander call back nervously.

"What?"

"He's not movin'."

A second set of footsteps came into the room and stopped a few metres away from the vice-mayor as he struggled to remain still.

"Oh shit," swore the soldier now identified as Ben. "Y, Y'don't think he really is... dead do you ya?"

"I dunno... ." mumbled the commander he knelt down until Reeve could smell the man's vile breath. He almost gagged but held his corpse like act with incredible resilience. Eventually he felt a nudge in his ribs as one of the men pushed him in an effort to cause a reaction but without avail.

"O, Oh shit. We're dead... ." mumbled Ben. "W, We're fucking dead. We're gonna get put into one of them cages a, an' then..."

"Shut up."

"…An that twisted bastard'll do awful things to us-"

"I said shut up!" yelled the commander angrily. "Look. It wasn't our fault. We didn't touch him so it's nothin' to do with us. W, We just have to find out why he's like this and then everyone'll see that we're innocent."

"Shit," breathed the young soldier. "I can't believe this. Why us? Why the hell does this kinda shit have to happen to us... ?"

"We knew the risks," came the firm answer although there was a hint of fear in the authoritative voice. "We just have to see what happened. I'm sure that there'll be some way out of this... ."

"Some way out of this?" repeated Ben. "You're fucking crazy! What do we do? Attach puppet strings to him and move him around whenever someone comes to see him??"

"Look. Maybe he's just unconscious you moron," the commander hissed eventually. "I'll check for a pulse... ."

Reeve felt his head being jerked to one side and a rough hand placed clumsily on his neck. Holding his breath for a few seconds in anticipation, he suddenly came alive and grabbed the shocked man's arm. With skill that would've surprised his AVALANCHE friends, he twisted the arm behind the commander's back while pulling out the pistol off the man's belt in one fluidic movement. He pushed the barrel of the small gun against his captive's temple and watched Ben, his eyes wide in shock and fear.

"All right. Back away otherwise I'll blow his bloody brains out, I swear I will," said Reeve firmly to the young man who complied shakily, his hands shivering from fear.

Reeve pushed forward still holding the commander as his prisoner into the small holding room where his captors had conversed before checking on him. Reeve pointed to a chair in the corner of the room with the pistol.

"Sit there," he ordered stiffly to Ben who immediately did as he was told. Reeve turned his attention back to the commander who was beginning to whimper and sweat from pure fright. He felt a flash of pity run up his spine, but images of his many hours locked isolated and blind in the cell spurned him on and gave him a bitter courage. "Now then, you and I are going on a little trip. If you try anything then you're going to get a bullet through your brain, but if you do as I say then I'll let you live."

The man under his power nodded his head violently until Reeve physically stopped him. "Don't annoy me you bastard or I may just shoot you anyway," he growled as menacingly as he could. Laughing at himself, he realised that if her ever got the opportunity to look back on himself he'd sink into embarrassment. '_Reeve the executive finally gets his chance to play at being soldier'_ he thought to himself. _I just hope I don't get blood on this damned suit. The dry-cleaning bill is going to cost enough as it is…. ._

The order sank in quickly and all noises ceased until the only sound Reeve could hear once he snapped out of his idle musings was his own heartbeat which boomed and thumped in his ears. He swallowed his fear and pushed forward towards the only door out of the small room. 

"Open it."

The commander reached forward and put pressure on the handle, pushing the door open with a quiet squeak. The open doorway led to an unlit corridor whose end was hidden within shadows that were not dispelled by the dim light from the holding room. Reeve took a deep breath and continued forward, his prisoner now silent in worry for his life. The walls, floor and ceiling were all covered with sheets of cold, clinical steel. Faded red symbols on the walls gave poor clues to his location and unwilling to waste time he pressed onwards with renewed vigour from the thought of freedom.

The hopefulness was all in vain however as he reached the first fork in the corridor. Voices emanated from his far right and it seemed as though they were coming closer. With the intention of hiding he began to walk towards the opposite route but his captive was being less co-operative. 

"C'mon! Move!" he whispered loudly. "Do you want me to kill you??" he threatened, panic rising up the back of his throat.

Gaining strength from an unseen source the commander somehow twisted himself from Reeve's grasp and broke free despite the warning. The vice-mayor aimed his gun at the ex-prisoner's head and his trigger finger twitched while he stared at the red uniformed man who trembled on the floor. He clenched his jaw and summoned the courage to do what he knew he had to in order to escape… But it was useless. He wasn't a murderer. He just wanted to get the hell out of there, but if it involved taking someone's life he couldn't force himself. It was at times like this that he admired Cloud and Barret. 

Cursing himself for his weaknesses he threw the gun to the floor angrily and sprinted away from the junction without an idea of where he was going. Flickering florescent lights buzzed above him giving a poor light in the twisting corridor. Unused to the exercise, his breath soon burned in his lungs and he once more reprimanded himself sourly. _This'll teach me to hide behind a robot to save the world... ._

His footsteps rang hollowly through the metallic halls and they pounded into his head only emphasising the already deafening beats of his heart. Tugging on the collar of his once pristine white shirt he paused for a seconds rest and eventually pushed forward; unaware of what he was doing or where was going only pursuing the thought of freedom with the passion of a madman. As he turned a corner, the faint sound of someone alerting the guards drifted along the stale air. _The bastard's told them where I am... I should've shot him when I had the chance. Damn you Reeve, you're too much of a Samaritan for your own good... ._

Running blindly he crashed straight into a group of five guards as they moved towards the disturbance. Throwing two of them to the ground, Reeve leapt up in the hope of keeping the advantage of surprise somehow on his side. However, he was too slow and by the time he was prepared to sprint once more, three rifles pointed at his head.

"That's as far as you go," snarled one of them. "I think it's time you went back to your cell, don't you?"

Reeve muttered furiously but his oaths were stopped abruptly as something hit him on the back of the head and he sank uselessly to the floor; his bid for freedom over.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Oh... I think she might be coming around."

There was the sound of soft footsteps approaching.

"So she's not dead then?" 

"Will she be all right?" a concerned but controlling man spoke, one that was used to worrying for others and taking responsibility.

"I think she'll be fine," said the first voice softly. "Yuffie...? Yuffie, can you hear me?"

An eye opened and closed almost immediately. Harsh light invaded her mind and bleached her thoughts and sight with its brightness. She tried again and was more successful. Blinking to clear the illuminous dots from her vision she looked up at the faces of the people who were tending to her. Three familiar fronts smiled back at her but worry clung like a terrible mask to their forcefully happy visages.

"Hi," she smiled wearily.

The others grinned back, obviously pleased to see her safe.

"Are you hungry? Can I get you anything?" Tifa asked kindly and Yuffie nodded after a moment's thought.

"I am kind of thirsty. Could I have a glass of water please, Tifa?"

Tifa nodded and left the room quietly.

"Good to see you awake, kiddo," smirked Cid. "I thought you were a goner when you showed up!"

"Gee... thanks... I think," responded Yuffie unsure of how to take his comment.

"No probs!" the pilot smiled back. "Umm..." he looked up at Cloud who met his gaze and passed a silent message to him. "I'll leave you two alone then," he finished. With a mock salute that made Yuffie giggle, he left the room tramping noisily across the wooden floorboards.

The mood turned serious as Cloud forced a smile which Yuffie saw straight through. Noticing her disbelief and notice of his hidden worry, Cloud dropped the cheerful mask and sighed. "Are you all right then... I mean _really_?" he asked eventually.

Yuffie felt forlorn. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt. Her last memories were of being chased through a storm by one of her 'friends' who had the intentions of gutting her and tearing her head off. How was she supposed to feel? Happy to be safe... Or sad to be in this situation in the first place? 

"I don't know," she whispered truthfully.

"You've been out cold for three days... You talked in your sleep," Cloud commented quietly. "What happened between you and Vincent? You mentioned books."

Yuffie bit her lip and attempted not to cry. Although she knew what had happened to her, hearing Cloud talk about it stirred up all of the fear and horror that she'd felt on that terrible night. 

"It was my fault," she answered unrevealingly after a long pause, reliving the nightmare in her thoughts. "Vincent asked me not to but I didn't listen... ."

"What happened?" Cloud questioned gently. "If it's too difficult then you don't have to..."

Yuffie shook her head. "I think I'd prefer to get it off my chest... ." she replied with a touch of sadness. "Vincent had warned me not to go into his room... . I was bored and I fell asleep on the couch when he went out for once of his late-night walks. I woke up and he still wasn't back so I decided to go to bed. For some reason, I'm not sure why, I decided then and there that I was going to look in his room. The door was open so it was tempting and although I knew I shouldn't go against what he'd ordered... I, I couldn't help myself. 

"It was black inside... he'd painted the walls and black curtains covered the windows. I don't know why he was so obsessive with the dark but I was just so fascinated by being there that I began to take a look around and I found a bookcase. Out of curiosity I looked at some of the books and they were all from the Shinra Mansion. That was weird enough but when I looked at some of them, they were all about him, about Vincent. I read them and they were basically diaries by Hojo," she stopped and shuddered at the memory. 

"They were horrible... ." she whispered, swallowing hard. "I, I felt so sorry for Vincent. Hojo... Hojo was _evil_. For that whole year he had Vincent trapped he was obsessed with making him into some kind of monster, into a freak. I was almost sick by some of the things he wrote... . It was awful... ." Yuffie sobbed and tears fell from her eyes and landed as wet smudges on the quilt cover, dying it momentarily a darker tone. 

Cloud put a comforting hand on her arm and taking a deep breath she continued. "I read the last entry and was about to put the book away when Vincent suddenly burst into the room. I, I've never seen him so mad... _ever_... . I was too shocked to move but he somehow jumped all the way across the bed and yelled and screamed at me. He was about to slash me with his claw but I dodged and he destroyed the bookcase behind me. I didn't look back from that point on... . I just ran and ran... . I didn't care where I went."

She stopped as the nightmare became too painful. "I don't know how, but I somehow made it here. I, I can't remember any more after that," she said softly. "It was my fault, I shouldn't have gone in... ."

Cloud put on a grim expression. "We haven't heard anything from him. As far as we know he could've left Midgar."

Yuffie looked up at him suddenly, her eyes misted with tears from painful reflection. "D'you think I drove him away?" she asked tearfully. "Does he hate me that much?"

Cloud looked down at his hands sadly. "Don't blame yourself Yuffie. He was just annoyed... you know how Vincent gets sometimes He should've known better."

"Are you saying that I can't be trusted?" Yuffie questioned unexpectedly in a low tone. "Is that what you truly think?"

"Oh I'm sorry Yuffie. I, I didn't mean it like that. _I_ would've been tempted. Who the hell wouldn't have been? I'm proud of the fact that you stayed away for so long. If I had been in your position then I would have sneaked in on the first day." 

Yuffie forced a smile and regretted her snappy presumptions. "I still shouldn't have done it."

"I'm not giving you an excuse for what you did, but I'm not the one to judge. If you want I'll go and see him. You can come and apologise if that's what you think you need to do," he offered and Yuffie nodded grimly.

"Yeah, that's what I should do. But not now. I feel bad enough as it is and I'm still exhausted," she answered punctuating her statement with a yawn. "Can we go tomorrow?"

Cloud looked at her for a moment and shook his head. "No. You rest now, Yuffie. I don't think that you'll be ready to leave this room for another few days yet. Try to gather your strength and in the meantime I'll see if I can get hold of Vincent himself."

Yuffie nodded dozily without argument and slipped beneath the warm covers where she felt an odd security from the aggressive world outside. Cloud would sort things out, Cloud always did. He was the pillar of support in AVALANCHE against Sephiroth and now that five years had passed, why should anything be different? Things would be all right; just leave it to the leader.

Cloud stood up as Yuffie's breathing became deep and even, her eyes closed in contentment and dreams. Even if he couldn't find Vincent, at least he had given her a night's peace. He turned and left the room quietly, closing the door behind him and walking down to the kitchen where Tifa and Cid sat at one of the benches. They looked up at him as he walked nonchalantly into the room.

"She's asleep," he announced unprompted. "Vincent almost tore her to pieces. From what I've heard, she was lucky to get out alive."

"Shit," breathed Cid as he stubbed out a half-finished cigarette and shook his head. "What the hell sent the guy so psycho?"

Cloud pulled up a stool and sat down beside them casually but his mind was deep in thought. "He kept some books in his room and warned her not to go in. Yuffie did though and read some things that she regrets now. Vincent walked in and caught her so she ran away and ended up here by some twist of fate."

"What was in the books? Was it because he found Yuffie reading them that he was so angry?" Tifa asked curiously at the enigma unfolding before her.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah. Yuffie said that the books were about him. They were lab reports and diaries by Hojo describing what he did to Vincent and things like that. She's really shaken up about it. She just burst into tears at the thought and she tired herself out."

They sat in silence contemplating the events but there was a strong feeling of unrest and suspicion aroused in them. Cid lit another cigarette and as he exhaled a stream of smoke into the air, he leant back on the bench contemplatively.

Glancing around at the other two he pulled a face. "Is it just me or does anyone see somethin' fishy goin' on here?"

"It's like this is only the tip of the iceberg," Tifa murmured in confirmation. She looked up at Cloud. "Can you remember I thought he was hiding something when we saw him week or so ago?" Cloud nodded and she continued. "I dunno but… For some reason I've got this really strong feeling that this is linked. I'm not sure at all; just call it a 'woman's intuition'."

Cloud sank into his thoughts again and a depressing silence reclaimed its territory over the three friends. 

"Ah, screw this," swore Cid suddenly throwing his cigarette to the floor and crushing it underfoot in disgust. "I'm goin' round to that creepy freaks house right now and I'm gonna see what the hell his problem is."

Tifa gasped in alarm and Cloud stood up to restrain the unthinking pilot who had already begun his defiant march towards the back exit. "Cid, don't be an idiot. For god's sake, you'll get yourself killed and make matters worse," Cloud said angrily pulling his old friend back. "We need to think about this and if anyone's going over there then it'll be me and Yuffie."

Cid muttered furiously under his breath but said nothing audibly and slumped back down in a sulking position that clearly stated his opinion on the subject. Cloud sighed irritably while Tifa glanced nervously between them. She opened her mouth to say something and gently ease them out of their reluctance to speak when a loud knock shattered the atmosphere. Their heads jerked up towards the entrance to the bar where the banging had come from. Two sets of eyes eventually landed on the proprietress who took their silent hints and moved through to the vacant room which had been closed to the public for the night. 

The knocking was repeated, this time louder than before and clearly emanating from the bar's front doors. 

"Hey! We're closed," Tifa yelled only to be met with an even more urgent and louder thumping and rattling that threatened to smash the glass panels in the doors. "Didn't you hear me you idiot? I said I'm closed."

The knocking continued and Tifa inhaled sharply rolling up the baggy sleeves of her sweater. "Okay then, you asked for it. I'm comin' out there to teach you some godamned manners even if I have to wipe the sidewalk with your face!" she yelled warningly without effect and storming to the doors, she unlocked them and threw them open.

Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened alarmingly from shock at the sight which beheld her.

"Well hello there Miss. Lockheart. It's nice to see you too," said a flame haired man in an unkempt blue suit. "You're not gonna invite me in? I'm hurt... ." he finished with his trademark smirk plastered on his face as though he'd been born wearing it.

"Reno... ." muttered Tifa in disbelief. "What do you want?"

"Just a chat," grinned the leader of the Turks. Too overcome by surprise to object she stepped to one side as he sauntered in with his usual cool and casual walk. She glanced out the doors at the street which was shrouded in night's shadows with the notion that he may have been followed. Sensing her apprehension he looked up at her.

"Please Tifa, you should know that I'm too good to be followed by some of the rookie terrorist groups around here." 

Realising that he was right, she drew back and pulled the doors shut behind her, locking them once more and slipping the key into the pocket of her jeans. "Come through to the kitchen," she said flatly expecting him to follow without her request anyway as she moved behind the bar to the kitchen door. 

Cloud and Cid looked up from their silence as the door opened quietly and Tifa walked in with Reno behind her. He looked at the two men who shared Tifa's shock at his visit. 

"Hey girls," the Turk smirked. "I hope I'm not disturbing the sleepover?"

"Look, Jerk," spat Cid angrily. "We're not in the mood for any of your wisecracks so if you're not here for a damned good reason then you'd better leave now."

Reno put on an expression of mock offence and clamped his hand to his chest in false distress. "Cid! You hurt my feelings and after I came all of this way to see you!"

Cloud looked up sullenly pondering why everything seemed to be getting worse as the night progressed, his face grim and his thoughts grimmer. "Reno, this is a really bad time for you to stop by. I don't mean to be rude but if you haven't got anything useful to report then you should go."

"You're not Rude!" Reno laughed as Tifa rolled her eyes and sat down on the stool she had occupied before answering the door. Eventually realising that the mood was far from cheerful he sighed and leaned back on the bench opposite them. "So, what's been going on that's so unbelievably bad?"

"It's nothing important," Cloud dismissed with an idle gesture of his hand. "We're just worried about Vincent... he's scared Yuffie witless and we haven't heard from him since."

Reno screwed his face up in thought and looked back at Cloud after a while. "Vincent... you mean Valentine right, the ex-Turk? Hasn't he been missing for years anyway?" Cloud nodded. "So how the hell has he managed to scare the crap outta 'little Miss Wutai'? I know that I always had shivers up my spine just lookin' at the guy but I must admit that I'm impressed if he can do it after a disappearance of four years!"

Tifa shook her head. "He came back a fortnight ago and Yuffie's been staying with him. A few nights ago he frightened her to the point of death and she ran here, delirious from fever and panic-"

"But enough of that," Cid interrupted. "Why the hell are you here?"

Reno arched his eyebrows and sighed wearily. "I wouldn't have bothered you all if I'd have known that you were having such a tough time. But anyway, I just came to say that we think we may've found where Reeve is."

Cid leapt up from his seat, a miraculous change to his previous state. His eyes gleamed with a renewed sense of adventure that had faded from the old man's face since the death of Sephiroth. "Well why the fuck didn't ya say so in the first place? Godamnit why are we still sat around here thinkin' about some monster in a dark apartment when we could be out kickin' some ass??"

"Hold it Captain Planet," said Reno seriously receiving a furious glare from Cid. "I didn't come along to ask who wants to join us on a shopping trip. This isn't any ordinary rescue which is exactly why I'm here." 

He pulled up a stool and stroked the surface of his nightstick absently as though he was attempting to trudge up words from the back of his mind to vociferate his thoughts. "Ah... well... as you know the Turks are specialised in things like kidnapping, espionage and rescues... things like that."

He stopped and Cloud began to fidget impatiently. "So why has that brought you here?"

"Uh, well. The thing is we don't think that we're dealing with our run-of-the-mill terrorists and anti-Midgar groups here. Whoever took Reeve did a damn good job of it which is why it took me and the other two so long to find out exactly where they've hidden him." Reno coughed but it seemed to be more out of nervousness than the need to clear his throat. "Well we've managed to find out that their hideout is the old Shinra HQ."

"That old building?" exclaimed Cid. "I dunno why Reeve didn't just knock it down. It creeps me out just to look at it."

For some reason never quite sure, although Reeve had completely re-landscaped Midgar he hadn't laid a finger upon the walls of the old HQ. It stood like a ghostly and hideous finger pointing accusingly up to the heavens casting a long shadow upon the sectors like a massive sundial as the sun moved across the sky. During the day it threw down shadows like a terrible reminder that it still existed and even at night it scared the locals. It obliterated a huge patch of the stars from whatever angle you looked at it leaving a gaping blackness in the velvet sky. Around its base was a wide radius where no building stood or only the bravest dared to venture. Ghosts were said to haunt the area which was in permanent shadow and strange noises rang out from deep within its haunted depths during the blackest nights.

"As you can tell, it makes a perfect place to make a base out of," Reno said to lift them out of their thoughts and daydreams. "Unfortunately much of it was destroyed and altered when Meteor and Diamond Weapon attacked all those years ago. I used to know the place inside out but because it's so twisted I could walk into my old apartment now and never recognise it. Rude, Elena and I could go in there and drag Reeve out in a matter of hours if this was any normal operation, but we don't have the element of surprise. For all we know, we could walk in through the doors and get gunned down before we could draw our pistols."

He paused dramatically as though he was testing the interest of the others and as they began to exchange restless looks he leant back and continued. "As much as it pains me to even consider asking you all, I haven't got a choice in the matter. It's between practicality and good old Turk pride and when the vice-prez of Midgar's life is on the line I'm sorry to say that Turk morals take a back seat." 

Uncomfortable at his posture and feeling the need to move around, he stood up and began pacing stopping eventually to look at the three members of AVALANCHE who stared back with baited breath. "Ah, damn my pride," he swore gently, scratching his head bashfully. "I've come to ask if you could spare a couple of people to come along and join in on the action. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to have to do this but as I said I have no choice and when I say a couple, I mean only two of ya," he finished shoving his hands into his pockets looking down at the floor.

"Damnit, I was waiting for you to say that!" laughed Cid as he leapt up and thumped Reno on the back enthusiastically. He spun around still grinning and looked at Cloud. "C'mon Spiky, get your ass ready! You an' me are takin' a little trip to the HQ!"

Cloud glanced at Tifa who met his stare with a forced smile and a shrug. He sighed and looked down at the floor in thought until Cid strolled over to him and picked him up off his feet. "What're you waitin' for?" the pilot questioned. "Reeve needs our help."

"Wait a moment Cid," said Cloud evenly. "I need to think about this."

"What's there to think about? You an' me are goin'!"

"Not... necessarily," Cloud answered hesitantly and he watched his companion's face fall.

"Who the hell is then?" Cid asked with obvious hurt ignoring the amused glances that he received from Reno. "You're going because you're the leader but that leaves me, Tifa and the kid upstairs. There's no way that Yuffie'll be ready to leave that room before the end of the week and no offence Tifa but I know the HQ better than you do. I dunno what you've based your plan on, Cloud but if you're choosing her out of emotion then maybe it's time we picked another leader," he finished furiously.

Tifa blushed and pulled away half upset by the sudden attention and half infuriated. Cloud's face turned an ugly shade of red as he glared violently at the pilot. 

"Cid stop being a moron before I throw you out of this house. Don't you _dare_ question my leadership qualities. I dragged AVALANCHE down to that hellhole of a crater and I pulled us all back out again. I've been through torture to keep this group together and when I failed Tifa was the one who kept the faith. If anything she was more of a leader than I was, more than any of us were. You're too blinded by your own ego to see that. Why the hell should I choose you? How dare you presume that I will, and what makes you think that I will choose Tifa anyway?? I'm the one who has to decide who's going to save Reeve and if I make the wrong decision, then he could die! Don't you think that I have enough to worry about with you screaming on like a little kid who hasn't had his own way??"

Cid's face went white in shocking contrast to Cloud's furious scarlet. The two men stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity and not a word was uttered to relieve the tense atmosphere. Cid eventually snarled and turned away eventually to storm out of the back door, slamming it behind him. 

As he left, the room went uncomfortably hollow and cold. The bang of the door echoed and resounded in the tiled room for a few seconds before fully dispersing and leaving silence. Reno coughed quietly feeling the need to create some animation in the stale room while Cloud sighed and rubbed his face with his hands perhaps in some futile hope that he could erase any signs of his fury. Tifa felt tears mist her vision but she blinked them back angrily. After so long of perfect harmony, was AVALANCHE truly falling to pieces? First Reeve went missing and then Vincent almost killed Yuffie. Now Cloud and Cid, the two men who had always been such good friends in the past had almost come to blows over such a trivial matter as who was going to make up a rescue party. 

"I'm sorry about that," said Cloud quietly to the room's other two occupants.

"I don't think that you should be saying that to us," Reno commented in the same low tone and Cloud nodded sorrowfully.

"I know," he whispered and looked over to Tifa for some recognition but she was staring down at her tightly clenched hands which rested on her lap. He sighed and scratched the back of his head. "We still have to worry about the rescue party," he ended and Reno looked up.

"I must admit, I thought that you'd take Highwind."

Cloud shook his head. "He was right about needing knowledge of the HQ but he missed someone off the list."

Reno cocked his head to one side and cast his mind back to the previous conversation. After a moment his eyes widened and he looked at Cloud in disbelief. "You mean Valentine right?"

Cloud nodded grimly. "Vincent used to be a member of the Turks and although he never talks about it, I bet that he would've spent a lot of time at the HQ. Who knows, maybe because he went there over thirty years ago he'll know about any tunnels or passages which might have been forgotten about in your time?"

Reno shrugged but he didn't look completely sceptical. "I dunno, but maybe you're right. How are you gonna persuade him though? From what you've said he'd sooner kill anyone who dared to go and see him than talk."

Cloud seemed thoughtful. "He's the only one I can think of that I'd like to take. He's an unbelievably strong fighter and he's been wandering around for the past few years so won't have forgotten his skills. He'd be more than a useful ally if we get into trouble. Also, he'd work well with you if he's been in the Turks."

Reno mentally weighed up the information given to him and nodded whilst standing up. "Look, you get hold of this guy and I'll meet you at the Sector Six entrance to the Seven Gardens at midnight tomorrow."

Cloud agreed and showed the Turk leader out of the bar door. 

When he turned back to enter the kitchen he saw Tifa silhouetted in the light with her hands on her hips and a dangerous glint in her eye. He walked over to her with his hand stretched out in a gesture that he hoped depicted guilt which his face tilted downward. He stopped a metre away from her angry frame and looked into her eyes.

"Tifa, I-"

Tifa slapped Cloud around the face with incredible speed. Although the blow had not been too hard, he stumbled back from the unexpectedness of her cruel jab and he held his raw-red cheek with one hand. His eyes widened in horror and he stared back at her with shock.

"You bastard!" she yelled. "How the hell could you do that??"

His jaw trembled as he struggled to speak but found sudden difficulty. Still holding his cheek protectively he licked his dry lips. "Tifa? What're you talking about?" he asked in a stunned whisper.

"Don't act dumb with me Cloud Strife. You know that everyone's been under a lot of stress recently and you're supposed to be the one that holds your wits. How could you shout at Cid like that? He's been going insane all week thinking about Reeve! You know how much he's wanted an opportunity like this to do something and you took it away from him. You cruel, cruel bastard. I know that he's not the most practical choice but you didn't have to tell him like that. You threatened to throw him out of the house for God's sake!" 

She stopped and looked at the shamefaced man before her with disgust and fury. "He's meant to be one of your best friends," she continued. The angry edge to her voice had been blunted but now the tears that she'd been holding back were brimming once more. "The group is falling apart and you're supposed to be the one that keeps it together, not break it to pieces even further." 

She finally broke down and a wracking sob tore through her body. She covered her face with her hands and cried into them almost relishing the cold tears that ran down her hot cheeks. Although his face still stung from her slap he tried to reach out to her again by softly brushing his hand against her bare arm. She allowed the warm touch for a brief second wanting nothing more than to be held in his grasp but her defiance overran her again and she pulled back. The redness of her eyes and the streaks that ran down her smooth skin glistening silver in the kitchen light served to enhance her beauty to the man who stood watching her. He felt as though someone had just wrenched his heart from his chest and it pained him more than any wound he had ever suffered in battle against the most terrifying foes.

"Don't touch me," she hissed but her barriers broke down once more as fresh tears ran down the old stains. "Don't touch me..." she repeated sobbing. Before he could hold her she turned and ran crying from the doorway and up the stairs to the first floor.

Cloud stood helplessly with his back against the wall. Tifa was right... the group was slowly being destroyed. Not by some new threat to the planet or an evil force. No, it was by something much more damaging, themselves. He was no better; he'd helped contribute to the downfall and deep within he prayed that there was something he could do to heal the tears.

He pushed off from the wall emotionlessly until he was standing up straight. With a sorrowful sigh, the only outward sign of his depression, he walked through the kitchen and turned off the lights preparing for a night on the couch.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

The metallic clangs of pans and saucers being banged around in the kitchen stirred Cloud from sleep early the next morning. He rubbed his weary eyes and attempted to stretch but the hard couch had knotted his muscles painfully so that even the slightest movement caused him to flinch. Forcing himself awake he sat up and attempted to focus his bleary vision whilst wincing from the loud thumps emanating from the next room. Tifa was obviously making her presence known through the noise. 

He stood up and brushed himself down in an effort to look more presentable a task made even more difficult because he'd slept in the clothes he'd worn yesterday. He didn't look too bad he decided weakly. He still wore the same pants and boots that were part of the SOLDIER uniform that he now only donned during Special Patrol duty. Over the top of the SOLDIER tank top and belt he wore a baggy sweatshirt like Tifa's only where hers was light blue, his own was a deep maroon. Creases covered the material of his clothes but he pulled a grim face realising that his appearance would be the least of his worries that day. 

Taking a deep breath for courage he walked quietly through to the kitchen where Tifa had begun making lunch for the bars' customers. She was peeling potatoes with a disturbing vigour as though she was enjoying the job at hand and Cloud shrank back wondering whether or not it was a good idea to talk with her. He scratched his head nervously and found all of the speeches that he'd spent all night rehearsing in order to apologise flew out of his mind leaving it as blank as a sheet of paper except not as white or unspoilt. Reassuring himself that the most important things when it came to emotion were from the heart and not the head, he stepped forward quietly until he stood to one side of her. At first he presumed that she was ignoring him but as he opened his mouth to speak he noticed trails of tears running down her face and dripping into the dirty water beneath her. He closed his eyes and bowed his head sorrowfully as he realised that nothing he could say would console her grieving and would probably only serve to worsen matters. He tiptoed away until he stood beside the back door.

With a final, longing glance in her direction, he pushed against it gently and it opened silently revealing the mid-January world beyond which seemed so much colder now that he was not with her. Brushing away a tear that ran down his cheek he stepped out and closed the door behind him, running down the back alleyway in case she heard his departure and attempted to speak with him.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Although it had not snowed all winter the skies on that day were grey and overcast reflecting Cloud's mood as he walked huddled down the main street. A blustery wind blew down the road from behind him pushing him towards Sector Four and Vincent's home. He allowed his thoughts to be blown away by the gale but with a morbid glance he realised that the street reflected his life. It stretched on far beyond his eyes could see bordered by so many other people that controlled and decided the path he would take. The wind pushed him on faster and faster until he lost all control of the speed he travelled at losing people and memories along the way. Even his thoughts and worries were carried forward by the wind dispelling them from his mind at that moment. But one day the inevitable would happen. The breeze would cease blowing and he would catch up with his fears. Because of all the time he spent moving them away from himself they would accumulate like a terrible pressure waiting to collapse on him like a tidal wave and smother him within it's depressing tides, letting him to drown in his own failings. 

Cloud snorted derisively at himself. He was becoming as morose and philosophically orientated as Vincent and whenever he looked at the darkest member of AVALANCHE he always found himself praying that he would never become the same. It looked as though now he had the time to sit back and look back over his life he was turning into blonde haired version of the ex-Turk. He felt a smile creep across his lips for the first time since the previous night. The next thing he knew people would start calling him a 'vampire' and expecting him to turn into monsters whenever he got annoyed. 

Unfortunately his years of peace were coming to an end. It looked as though there would be no rest for Cloud Strife. No chance to settle down and make a family or worry about trivial things such as bills and leaking roofs. Fate had not quite finished with him and AVALANCHE. Even if this latest trouble was about the breaking of the group it was more serious than any Meteor. Throughout their trials and tribulations they had remained together and presumed it would always be thus. To look around and see his world tumbling down after everything that he'd been through was almost too much to bear. Another tear rolled down his face but it was blown from his cheek before he even moved his hand to wipe it away. 

He was so involved in his thoughts that as a huge shadow was cast over him, he looked up and was shocked to see that he was standing in Sector Four. Glancing down at the piece of paper in his hands with a hastily written address on it from Yuffie he compared it to a large sign post which sat on a vast, bright green lawn to his left.

"'Silver Birch Heights'," he read aloud. "'78c'."

He strode across the grass ignoring the haughty looks he received off the residents who were having picnics and playing tennis on the large green. Although he felt slightly self conscious at his scruffy attire and overall appearance he sneered inwardly at them. After all, while they had been running around like headless chickens during the Meteor Crisis he was the leader of the group that saved them all. At first he had openly hated the attention that AVALANCHE received but now he almost missed it. Perhaps deep down his ego had always welcomed the praise and the acknowledgement of his achievements. It was the least that he deserved he had mused unconsciously.

After walking across the huge field he began reading more signs to find the block that Vincent was situated in. After a few minutes of searching and climbing stairs he stood outside door 78c.

Lifting up a trembling hand he tentatively knocked lightly on the door and then harder as he gained a little more confidence. There was no reply for long time and he considered knocking again. Eventually however there was the sound of something moving around slowly behind the door.

"Who is it?" called a muffled but greatly irritated voice. "This had better be good otherwise I'm going to tear your head off."

Cloud's eyebrows shot up on his forehead and in a brief moment of madness he considered turning away and never returning. But clearing his throat and gathering his wits, he moved slightly closer to the door. "Uh V, Vincent? It's me. Cloud," he stuttered warily.

At first there was no response and guessing that Vincent hadn't heard he licked his lips and prepared to speak again when the sound of a bolt being unlatched and the lock clicking caused him to take a step back. The door opened a fraction and a pair of unnatural ruby eyes looked out from the slit and examined Cloud carefully up and down. Seemingly satisfied that everything was in order, he released the door which slowly swung open and stood to one side allowing Cloud entry. The ex-SOLDIER stepped in with obvious hesitation and looked all around him in the same way that Yuffie had done a week before. 

He found himself in a corridor that led off to his left and right. Both ends of it were hidden in darkness and he peered into a room opposite the door he'd just entered through. There were heavy curtains drawn across the windows and judging by the rest of the apartment he predicted that the curtains were closed in all of the other rooms creating a dark and secluded atmosphere that perfectly mirrored his friend. Cloud jumped suddenly as the door behind him was shut and he spun around to face Vincent who leant heavily against the wall as if unable to stand on his own. His red eyes glittered curiously in the darkness and were the only things clearly visible of the shadow-like man who stared back at Cloud. The eyes moved slightly as if nodding towards the door that Cloud had been looking through and taking the gesture to mean that he was to enter the new room, Cloud swallowed nervously and walked through. Vincent followed on silent footsteps and Cloud began to feel incredibly self-aware of how much noise he made in comparison to the dark figure. 

He made out the shadow of a couch to one side of the room and he sat down unwilling to create any more noise that would disturb the delicate silence. Glancing around worriedly for a second he was unable to find Vincent who had blended in with the darkness. He considered calling out before there was a bright but small explosion of light opposite him. His heart leapt in shock but as the brightness dissipated to a warm glow he saw Vincent holding a candle and dead match in his hands. He used the candle to light others in the room until there was a poor but nonetheless welcome illumination in the room. Vincent returned to his standing position opposite Cloud where he regarded the young warrior with blank interest.

Cloud looked around for something to talk about and break the static atmosphere as his eyes adjusted to the dim light.

"Um, why don't you open the curtains?" he asked eventually, fully conscious of the tremor in his voice.

"I would prefer not to," came the sharp reply which put a quick halt on the topic.

Cloud continued to look around at his surroundings and eventually his eyes picked out a strange mark on the ceiling. As he squinted and scrutinised it more carefully it revealed itself to be a tear of some kind. 

He said nothing but as he once more looked around the room, more tears and rips became suddenly apparent to him. They all came in lines of four and ripped across shelves, walls and carpets. Huge chunks of plaster littered the floor and scraps of paper lay all around like rose petals that decorated the streets at festival time in Wutai. It was more than obvious that whatever had gone through Vincent's mind the night that Yuffie ran from him was not pleasant. He rarely transformed outside of battle and it was a horrific and terrifying thing to witness whenever he did. The rip marks were obviously made from hands which wielded massive claws capable of tearing through steel. 

Cloud began to feel fear like he never had before and as he looked over at the doorway to the room he noticed bare and twisted hinges. Daring a look behind him he saw a door which had been pulled in two with splintered wood and shards jutting dangerously from it. An incomprehensible strength was the only thing that could have done such a violent act and Cloud turned back to face Vincent, his eyes wide in shock and understanding.

"Vincent-" he began quietly but he was cut off by a malicious and bloody stare.

"What have you come here for?" his shadowy companion asked darkly. "Have you come to help me? To console me? I expect that Yuffie has told you all about 'poor little Vincent' and his 'nasty experiments'. I want to be left alone. I suffer a great deal more than you can ever possibly see in those books or in me. You have no idea what I go through and I don't want you to understand. If that is your intention on visiting me then you may as well leave now and take your sympathies with you." He closed his eyes and clenched his hands as though trying to regain control. He turned away and took a few deep breaths, holding his face in his hands for a few seconds as he struggled to keep his composure.

Cloud was completely taken aback. He'd expected anger and violence but the tone in Vincent's voice was almost pleading as though he was begging to be allowed to suffer in silence. _What is he keeping from us? Why is he so adamant on making sure we stay away? Why Vincent? God, why do you let yourself suffer in silence? We can help, I'm sure that there must be something that we can-_

"You should leave," Vincent said quietly as he turned around slowly interrupting Cloud's thoughts. "I was asleep and I'm very tired. Very tired." he finished, his voice dying out in a whisper.

"I, I just came to ask you something," Cloud responded as he stood up, half wanting to walk over and help support the dark figure who looked as though he were about to fall to the floor. "I promise I'll leave if you tell me to."

Vincent said nothing but nodded slightly staring down at the floor.

"The Turks have found out where Reeve is," he began hoping for some kind of reaction to the news but seeing none. Slightly disheartened but gathering courage at the sound of his voice he continued. "They need AVALANCHE's help and they want two of us to go and help them. I was wondering if you want to go with me?"

Vincent didn't reply at first but he slowly lifted his head up and looked Cloud in the eye with an emotionless gaze as he seemed to consider his answer. After a while he nodded and straightened himself out as though embarrassed at his weakness. "Yes," he said to confirm his answer. "I'll come. Where do I need to be and by when?"

Cloud smiled at his friend warmly, glad that at least one person in AVALANCHE wasn't about to reject him and decline. "The Sector Seven/Six gateway, midnight."

"Very well. I shall be there," Vincent finished wearily. "I'm afraid that I cannot stay awake for much longer. If you would care to see yourself out-"

Cloud nodded and put up a hand to stop Vincent talking. "It's all right," he said softly. "I'll see you tonight."

Vincent bowed his head gratefully and with a final glance around the room and a shiver down his spine, Cloud left the apartment and began his slow journey back to the bar. 

Vincent blew out all of the candles in the library-like chamber and yawned. With a grim expression he locked the front door and walked to his room closing the door softly behind him before collapsing exhaustedly on the bed and falling asleep almost instantly. He slipped effortlessly into a deep dreamless sleep which would carry him softly through to nightfall and the upcoming trials which he somehow knew within his heart he would face.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Reno shuffled and shivered in the volatile cold night air. For the first time all winter, small white snowflakes had begun to fall delicately from the heavens to decorate the cityscape with a powdery pure layer. Never one to appreciate nature in its moments of beauty, Reno persisted to swear and mutter curses at the icy touches of every ice crystal as it landed and melted on his exposed flesh. He lifted his head and chewed thoughtfully on his long thin ponytail which hung like a vivid red streak down his back most of the time when he wasn't sucking on it. He glanced around at his two companions. Like him they wore the trademark blue suits of the Turks but all three were very different. 

While he stood in all his dishevelled and unkempt glory the others stood with their suits pristine and perfect, not a crease touched their jackets or disturbed the line of their trousers. However one was a woman and many considered her to be a beautiful one at that. She wore her straight blonde hair in a tight bob that was only as long as her jaw-line and her large brown eyes fitted in perfectly with her smooth skin and slightly rounded face. Many men had tried to take her away from the 'danger' of the Turks but the pistol on her belt had seen the light of day more than a few times that week already to dissuade them. She was looking at her hands and nails with efficient scrutiny, examining every contour and line on their surface and pulling a face every now and then as she found an imperfection. 

From Elena his gaze drifted to the final member of the trio and probably more the epitome of a Turk than any of them. He stood a tall man, imposing but often stoic; hiding his eyes behind dark sunglasses which he rarely took off and preventing any emotion to cross his stern face. Like Elena his outward appearance was neat and business-like but after giving him a few daiquiris he'd party like the rest of them. 

Reno smirked and shook his head. He and Rude had been friends ever since they'd joined the Turks together. They knew nothing about each other's past and never asked it to be any different. They were both Turks and that was all that mattered. The sense of camaraderie in the Turks was stronger than any marriage as Cid had often found amusement in pointing out. They would never abandon one of their own; it was one of the basic rules. They would never betray one another and they'd always work as a team with ruthless and merciless efficiency. In the past during the Meteor Crisis they'd provided a few headaches for AVALANCHE. It was just the way things worked out. It was their job and they had to do it; one of the so-called 'Turk creeds'.

"What're you sniggering at?" asked Elena suddenly and Reno jerked his head up, not realising that he'd laughed aloud.

"Oh... nothing, sorry," he mumbled as he looked back down at the ground and Elena shrugged.

She looked irritably at the gate and then down at her watch. "What time did you tell them, Reno?"

"Midnight... what time is it?"

"Quarter past. They're late," she frowned continuing her look around. As she gazed out of the gate and into Sector Six she squinted as she caught the distant form of a person running towards them. She nudged Reno in the ribs and nodded towards the figure. "Is that one of them?"

He narrowed his eyes and looked towards where she'd indicated. After a few seconds he saw light glint off the blade of an enormous sword strapped to the person's back and he nodded confidently. "Yeah, that's Cloud. Only he would use such a stupidly huge weapon."

Elena gave a lopsided smile and turned away to look into the park. As she did however she caught sight of movement in the corner of her eye in the shadow of the massive gate doorway. Pulling out her pistol from its holder and spinning around to face the movement in one fluidic motion she cried out in shock and the gun dropped uselessly from her grip. Reno and Rude immediately responded to her cry and they ran to flank her, their own guns pointed and ready to fire at anything that proved a threat. 

After a moment of adrenaline surged searching Reno and Rude exchanged odd glances before holstering their guns once more and looking at Elena. The female Turk was staring like something possessed at a dark shadow in the corner of the sector where the partition wall and a building met at a right angle.

"Elena, what the hell are you trying to do?" asked Reno with a frown. "Is this some new kind of fighting tactic where you attempt to give your enemies heart attacks by staring at a shadow and gasping like something's tryin' to kill you?"

Elena continued to stare with wide eyes towards the same spot and Rude shrugged uselessly to say that he didn't have any idea towards what was bothering her. Eventually Reno pulled a face and peered at the corner attempting to make some sense out of Elena's shock. As he watched, eventually to his horror a pair of red-glowing slits appeared in the shadow and hung there, staring back at him. He felt a shiver creep up his spine until he was paralysed by fear unable to even go for his nightstick while Cloud's approaching footsteps became audibly closer until panting heavily he stood beside them. 

"Sorry I'm so late," he apologised breathlessly. "I had a few things to do at the bar before I could leave."

He knew that wasn't true. Deep down he knew that he'd been delaying purposefully in the attempt that Tifa would finally discontinue her silence and run to him, throwing her arms around his waist and begging him not to go. No such luck however. She'd been giving him the cold shoulder all day long and although he'd flashed her warm smiles whenever she glanced in his direction they were not returned. He'd walked in on her crying once but as before he avoided her in the knowledge that she'd begin to get angry if he saw her in such a weak state. He cursed himself inwardly for being such a clumsy oaf and eventually left in one last futile hope that she'd run after him and ask forgiveness. No, he was far to egotistical for his own good.

His greetings were not reflected back by the three figures that stood like statues, staring towards a corner in the park. Getting his breath back, he glanced toward the shadows where a pair of red eyes seemed to be looking back at them with an amused curiosity. At first his heart leapt but there was a glint off gold metal in the light cast down by one of the candles that served as streetlights and familiarity took the place of the initial fear although it wasn't completely dispelled.

"Vincent, stop playing games," he called to the eyes that shifted their gaze from the Turks to the young warrior who stood defiantly in his SOLDIER uniform and the massive Ultima Weapon strapped to his shoulders.

As the group of four watched, the eyes rose up until they hung high above the ground and then a figure stepped out from the darkness, the shadows sticking to him like some kind of liquid. He was taller than most at around six-foot tall and a crimson cape fluttered from his shoulders stained black by the shadows. Beneath the cape he wore a baggy black shirt and trousers tucked into a pair of pointed boots. Jet black hair hung over red bandages and revealed a pale face into which was set the gleaming ruby red eyes that had held them in such terrible thrall when they first noticed him. The metallic glint which Cloud had noticed came from the gold claw at his side and although Reno now knew that the stranger was an ally, he still felt a strong element of mistrust around the dark man.

"I should apologise," Vincent began, a touch of odd amusement in his soft voice that was rarely raised above an audible tone, perhaps to add fear to his appearance. "I simply wished to observe you all before I made my presence known."

"You're Valentine?" said Reno rhetorically getting a nod from Vincent who now stood before him. "What the hell are you, some kind of vampire or something?"

Vincent's eyes began to glow at the comment and he glared dangerously at Reno. "I do not appreciate such remarks," he said with his eyes reduced to slits. 

Cloud looked nervously at his friend. Vincent always had taken an extreme offence to anyone making any insult towards his appearance even though he insisted on shrouding himself so darkly. Everyone in AVALANCHE had learnt the hard way about what was and what wasn't appropriate to talk about in front of the ex-Turk. He began to wish that he'd mentioned the points to the blue suited figures who now began to look even more uncomfortable beneath Vincent's penetrating stare. 

He cleared his throat unnecessarily to beak the tense atmosphere between them much to Reno's relief as he'd been locked in Vincent's hypnotic gaze since his foolish comment.

"We should get going," Cloud said seriously and everyone nodded. 

"We have a busy night ahead so I hope everyone's ready," Reno added as he looked at the ensemble gathered before him. "When we're there, we'll separate into two groups. Me and you two," he indicated towards Rude and Elena. "Will go around the back." He turned to Vincent and Cloud. "You two go straight through the front entrance. When there we'll meet up on floor sixty-five. Is everyone clear?"

Receiving four nods he made a motion with his hand and ran through the garden towards the abandoned HQ that many had sought in vain to avoid since the city was rebuilt. He was followed closely by the others and they zigzagged their ways through undergrowth that sprang up near the base of the monstrous structure where no gardeners dared to go even when maintaining the beautiful park. 

After pushing their ways through the jungle-like area they burst out onto the ring of lifelessness that circled the very base of the pillar. It was here that the ground was paved in broken tarmac preventing any flora from breaking the monotony of black concrete with its colour. Twisted and scorched sheets of metal littered the ground from when the HQ had been attacked by Meteor and the pillar-like building itself was almost torn in pieces by huge cracks. They sprang from its base and ran all of the way up as far as the eye could see in the dim light and threatened to widen any second and bring the whole column of metal down upon them.

They walked in silence for a time until they halted outside the start of a long winding pathway that snaked its way around the building and above their line of sight.

"The old railway line," Reno explained to the others who stood transfixed by the bizarre sight. "We need to go up if we want to reach the front entrance because it's on level with where the plates used to be. I'm hoping that it won't be broken anywhere but if it is then we'll have to find a different way around."

He started forward and the others followed behind in single file like some kind of funeral procession. Cloud only prayed that it wasn't their own. An hour passed as they walked up the wide, twisted walkway that had one been used as a rail line. Cloud remembered with grim reflection the only times that he recalled using it. Both were as a member of AVALANCHE when he and the small group that consisted of himself, Barret, Tifa and the three others who had been good friends of the huge black man (_what were their names? Oh yeah, that's right... Biggs, Wedge and Jess_e) had been on their way to blow up some of the once prosperous Mako reactors. Cloud looked out to the horizon and made out the vague but massive shapes against the landscape of the useless reactors that stood now only as cornerstones to the sectors and nothing more. The city of Midgar itself was built like a massive wheel. Circular in shape, walls that spanned out from the centre hub or the HQ acted as spokes separating the eight sectors that had once been individual towns. The reactors themselves now simply indicated where the ends of the 'spokes' were. Edifices to the Shinra's old glory just like the street lamps that had never been removed. Although he hated the Shinra and everything they'd stood for he regretted the fact that life had taken such a step backwards and everything man had worked so hard for now stood rusting and battered. A mournful sigh escaped his lips and Vincent cast him a curious glance but said nothing. 

A small river now flowed through the sectors from the base of the HQ. No one really knew how it had began or even where it sprang from but people suspected that it was the result of the water pipes beneath the building bursting and flooding to form an unnatural but beautiful river. It began at the centre of the city and snaked its way outwards until it pushed its way to the sea, a path it had carved over the year that Midgar had been deserted. From the great height that the group was now at, the faint bubbling of the river and the wind howling around the old building were the only sounds they could hear. 

Pushing such unnecessary thoughts to the very back of his mind, Cloud plodded onwards and upwards along the spiralling platform to which there seemed no end. As his thoughts mulled over such a depressing idea the group stopped and looked at a platform which jutted out of the side of the building falling short of the railway by many metres. Reno stepped cautiously to the edge and peered into the darkness to see the faint but eerily familiar outline of the Shinra HQ front entrance. 

"This is our stop, girls," he announced jovially, his voice surprisingly cheerful for such an uncertain future.

Vincent walked over and stood next to him. "Do we jump?" he asked simply and Reno gave him a look of pure disbelief. 

"Have you any idea how high up we are? Either you're insane or just a poor judge of distances." the Turk answered incredulously shaking his head. "No. We have to find something to bridge the gap."

Vincent walked back to stand beside Cloud who began to speak but was completely ignored as the ex-Turk span around to face the HQ once more. Before Cloud could attempt to say any more, the dark figure rocked back on his heel and without warning began to sprint forward directly towards the chasm. As the others watched in shock, he leapt from the platform and sailed through the air, his cape flapping behind him like a pair of dark wings. Within seconds it was over and he landed silent and catlike on his toes and fingertips on the jutting ledge. Only dust which had been deposited since Meteor's attack objected to his presence by swirling and hanging in the cold air before coming down to settle and stain the fresh white snow with dirt. He stood up casually and brushed himself down before turning back to face the others who were too stunned by examining the unnaturally large distance he'd cleared in his bound to say anything. 

Cloud recovered first and taking a few nervous steps he made his way to the edge of the walkway. "There's no way that the rest of us could make it across there like that," he began looking around at the faces of the Turks whose shocked expressions emphasised his point. "See if you can find anything over there that we could use as a bridge."

Vincent gave a nod and walked silently across the platform until he melded with the shadows and disappeared from their sight. As soon as he felt safer, Reno turned to Cloud, his eyebrows still raised from the incredible event.

"How the hell did he do that?" he hissed loudly as though still worried that Vincent could hear him. "That's a fifteen metre gap at least."

Cloud shrugged. "He was experimented on by Hojo. Certain parts of him were enhanced and every time I go out on a mission with him I find out something new. God knows what else he can do that we don't know about."

Reno smirked and turned back to the opposite ledge where there were the sounds of something being moved around. As he watched, Vincent came into view dragging a huge sheet of metal with a hideous screeching across the floor. He winced at the terrible noise but continued to observe him as the sheet was pulled over to the nearest edge of the platform. Vincent began to move it around and then he stopped and examined the gap quickly realising that the walkway that Cloud and Turks stood on was higher than his ledge. He looked up questioningly at the others who began to think of a possible solution.

"Is there some rope or something over there?" Elena called eventually and Vincent turned back to the shadows. He emerged minutes later carrying a length of electricity cable. 

He proceeded to tie it around a thin but sharp piece of the metal and securing it, he threw the free end up to the others who caught it and began pulling. With Vincent pushing on one end and the others pulling they soon had the sheet in place as a crude bridge that spanned the large chasm precariously. Reno put a foot on it and pressed down cautiously. Although the metal dipped slightly and wobbled it remained in place. Swallowing his fears, he began a heedful descent down the metallic slope. Unfortunately as he reached the middle, the snow began to fall with an increased ferocity until the 'bridge' was covered in a thin film of crystals. As he took another cautious step, his foot slipped out from beneath him and he fell unceremoniously onto his backside and slid the rest of the distance on his rear almost knocking Vincent down in the process as he stood at the bottom of the sheet. After helping Reno to his feet, Vincent turned to the others and questioned silently who was going to be next. 

Elena stepped forward nervously and took a last glance down the yawning drop where she could see the snowflakes dance and drift far below her. Focusing her eyes on one particular crystal, she watched it until its path became unintelligible due to the distance and darkness below her. Taking a deep breath she considered walking across the makeshift bridge but after a moment of consideration, she sat down on the edge of the metal and pushed herself down it like a slide. After she was standing safely on the ledge she turned triumphantly to Cloud and Rude who remained on the platform opposite.

Cloud looked over at Rude who shook his head. "I'm the heaviest so I'll go last," he said and Cloud nodded in understanding.

The young warrior took the Ultima Weapon from his back and held it like a javelin before throwing it to the other side where it imbedded itself deeply in the metal floor. He sat down on the sheet and slid down, leaping up expertly when safe and pulling the sword from its temporary metal sheath.

Rude walked to the edge and took a few seconds before thinking and putting both feet on the iced surface. Reno opened his mouth to cry out and warn the final Turk but to his astonishment, Rude slid casually down the surface like it was a surfing-board. He hopped off easily when the ride stopped and Reno shook his head in disgust.

"Godamned show-off!" he swore with a hint of admiration for his friend. Rude grinned in response and with everyone safe, the rabble walked towards the HQ entrance. They stood for a moment in silence as they stared up in awe of the once impressive doorway.

The Shinra insignia had once decorated the doorframe and a large set of steps once led up to the entrance itself like the gates of heaven. Only hell was contained within those walls. Flags once adorned the corners of the entrance while massive pillars supported an overly ornate roof. Now everything stood in ruin and disrepair. The flags hung tattered and dulled like the Shinra symbols while the columns and roof lay twisted and battered on the broken tiled floor. The steps were cracked and dented giving the impression of terrible sorrow and emptiness. Cloud almost pitied the Shinra and downfall they'd suffered. 

As he glanced over at the three Turks he saw that his faint sorrow was magnified countless times on their faces. Although they had changed their ways they had always been completely loyal to whatever cause they worked for. The Shinra had given rise to them, it had been their sole purpose in living and when it had been destroyed they were left without direction and meaning. They still missed the old days and the way things once were. 

Cloud sighed quietly and glanced over at Vincent. He was shocked to see the same sadness he'd seen in the Turks upon his friend's pale face. Not wishing to disturb the mourning of his companions however, he remained silent until Reno turned around to face them, a sad smile on his face. 

"Looks like we're home," he said quietly and the others bowed their heads respectfully. "I don't want to be here any longer than necessary... this is an in-out mission. We find Reeve, we kick some ass and we get the hell outta there. No prisoners; I don't want the risk of this happening again. They've made a laughing stock of the Turks and they won't get away with it. 

"Now c'mon. Let's go in there and show them what a mistake it is to dare take someone under our protection away from us."

****

_____________________________________________________________

I

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

"Forward the Light Brigade!

Charge for the guns!" he said.

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred

***

VI

When can their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

All the world wondered.

Honour the charge they made!

Honour the Light Brigade,

Noble six hundred!

The Charge of the Light Brigade, 

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

~Lucrecia Marionette~


	4. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

by Lucrecia Marionette

__

~Chapter 4~

'A Secret Wish'

_____________________________________________________________

Vincent drew the Death Penalty from its holder and Cloud held the Ultima Weapon before him. The Turks had already departed and ran off towards the staircase leaving the two AVALANCHE members alone to make their ways through the front entrance up to floor sixty-five. They walked quietly up the steps to the main door; their backs pressed against each other and their eyes and ears alert for any signs of life. They entered the main hall and reception without incident and with a shrug, Cloud put the Ultima Weapon away and began to look around for a possible way up the building. Vincent holstered his gun but immediately disappeared into the shadows as he always seemed to whenever entering an unfamiliar area. Cloud attempted to follow his path across the room but quickly realising it was futile, turned away and began examining the elevator shafts.

The particular shafts that he was looking at consisted of huge glass tubes that stretched all of the way up the outside of the building to the final floor, seventy. He turned away and walked towards the next set of elevators to find Vincent already standing next to the open doors and looking up them. As Cloud moved to stand next to him he saw several thick cables swaying slowly due to an unseen disturbance further up the passageway. When he looked below he saw nothing but a bottomless pit from which emanated the sound of rushing water. It looked as though the river truly did come from below the building. 

"It looks as though we'll have to climb," commented Vincent as he continued to look up the square tube.

Cloud pulled a face and flexed his arms and hands. "It's a long way up. We'll have to rest often."

Vincent nodded and holding onto the doorframe he reached into the passage and grabbed one of the cables. He handed it to Cloud and did the same again for himself. Cloud yanked on the cable to ensure its security and then taking a deep breath he fell off the floor and swung into the shaft, slamming into the opposite wall painfully and almost losing his grip. Once he was steady he nodded to Vincent who swung in with his legs out in front of him to absorb the shock of hitting the wall. He rebounded and slowly steadied himself until he was no longer swinging uselessly and wrapped the cable around his legs. Cloud did likewise and without a word said between them, the two men inched their ways up the rope until five floors later they could hardly keep their grip because their arms ached so much. Swinging for a few seconds, Cloud let go and fell onto the floor. Leaping up, he turned back and pulled Vincent to safety. They rested for a few minutes in silence before Vincent stood up and began examining the room.

"Is it familiar?" asked Cloud suddenly, breaking the aura of silence which had probably existed since Meteor's reign of terror.

Vincent nodded but as Cloud watched him, his movements became increasingly lethargic and slow. His eyebrows knitted in thought as he watched his friend's odd behaviour. Vincent walked slowly and hesitantly over to a large window that would have once given a view over the upper five section of the plate that used to hang above the ground level of the city. He touched the glass and looked at it as though he was seeing something that wasn't really there. He traced the outline of his face on the glass and then his arms dropped limply to his sides . He sighed and bowed his head sorrowfully. 

"This is where I first met Lucrecia," he said softly and Cloud felt a wave of sadness wash across him. 

"I'm sorry," he sympathised lamely unable to think of anything else to say but Vincent shook his head.

"I just never thought I'd see this place again. " He stopped and looked around the room. It was quite large and Cloud guessed it was about half the size of the overall level. The skeletons of potted plants lay smashed and sterile around the floor and opposite the elevator doors there was an upturned table; probably a reception desk. A doorway led off behind it and there were faded signs on the wall. When he squinted he thought he could faintly see lettering and arrows indicating apartments and homes. It looked like level five was one of the floors where the Shinra employees had once lived. 

Vincent walked over to the desk and with phenomenal strength bent down and lifted the heavy table until with a loud bang and explosion of dust and dry soil it righted itself. He brushed down its top in some weak effort to make it look more presentable with the back of his good hand and stood back to inspect it. Cloud began to feel very uncomfortable as though he was watching some personal ritual that no one should ever be allowed to witness.

"Looks like someone forgot to pay the cleaner," Vincent commented with a slight smile that although wasn't visible, Cloud could detect it in his unusually humorous remark.

He pushed himself up off the floor and walked over to stand beside the dark figure who was once more looking out of the window.

"What are you looking at?" he asked softly.

"This is exactly where I stood when I first saw her," Vincent began wistfully. "I was observing the city when someone approached me and asked me why I was looking at such a depressing view. I simply told her that in an odd sense I enjoyed looking down at the people as they went on with their menial lives; living out what little time they have on the planet with pointless tasks that will get them nothing when death finally does touch them." Vincent shook his head and when he spoke again there was a mixture of sadness and joy in his voice. "I can still remember how frustrated she was at me. I was a cold bastard even then. Eventually I turned and looked at her. Even to this day I have never experienced anything like that."

He paused as he struggled to find the words to express what he was thinking and Cloud didn't dare disturb him. It was rarely that Vincent said anything more than a couple of sentences long and to hear him begin talking about his past was truly unusual and fascinating. When his dark friend spoke like this it was easy to get caught up in what he said due to the passion and emotion he would put into his words. For a brief moment the world became irrelevant as he poured out a part of himself and allowed Cloud to see exactly what he kept beneath his dark exterior.

"It was as though someone had lifted a veil from my eyes," he said eventually with a soft tone. "I had never seen beauty like hers before and never have to this day. For all of eternity if I was to search for someone to match her I know that I never could. It was as though God had sent an angel down to hell to help a tortured soul. I can still remember praying internally, almost weeping and thanking him over and over again for choosing me of all demons on this planet." He stopped and for moment in the silvery moonlight that shone through the dusty window to the room Cloud thought he could see a tear in Vincent's eye. "She was lost and needed someone to show her to her apartment. She was new to the area having just transferred from Icicle where she worked with Dr. Gast. I escorted her to her home and asked her to dinner that night. Of course she declined. Hojo already had her in his grasp and wasn't prepared to let her go." Vincent spat out the last few words and Cloud looked back up to his face and felt alarm surge through his veins as the red irises of Vincent's eyes began to glow from fury.

"Easy now," Cloud soothed as he put a gentle hand on Vincent's shoulder to prevent something ugly from happening. 

Vincent closed his eyes and tilted his head back, taking a few deep breaths. "I'm all right," he said quietly after a few moments of controlled breathing. He pulled away from Cloud and strode angrily towards the elevator shaft once more. "We'd should continue now," he said coldly, all emotion that had been in his voice restrained to feed the demon that patrolled the back of his mind. 

Cloud sighed and walked over to join him and together they continued their ascent up the dark passageway.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Alright then, keep your eyes open. Remember we don't know who the hell these people are or what armoury they'll have," whispered Reno to his two companions as they crept up the vast staircase that led to the sixty-first floor. He held the nightstick up in front of him like a torch and it gave off an electric blue glow which dimly illuminated their paths. They walked in usual formation, Elena in the middle and Rude bringing up the rear; all of them on their toes and keeping their wits around them. 

Although exhausting, the stairs were by far the quickest way to the target floor and within an hour of laborious climbing, Reno pushed his shoulder up against the door that sat at the very end of their trudge. His breath tore at his lungs but as the Turk leader he had to appear strong in order to keep his friends' spirits up. Elena appeared flustered, her cheeks red and her hair out of place and even Rude looked slightly dishevelled. He began to wonder what kind of hovel he looked as though he'd crawled out of.

"Ready?" he asked quietly but Elena shook her head.

"Can we just rest for a second?" she asked, her voice pleading and breathless.

Reno scratched the back of his head and glanced over at Rude who to his surprise nodded to show that he wasn't prepared to burst into a strange room just at that moment either. Reno sighed thankfully and slid down the door into a clumsy sitting position, too weary to appear neat and professional. Not that he normally did, he realised with a smirk. Elena sank gratefully to the floor and she sat down on the top step next to Rude and leant up against the banister.

"I feel as though my feet are about to drop off," she moaned.

"Elena don't-" Reno began but he was cut off mid sentence by the female Turk as she glared at him.

"If you dare tell me not to be so weak then I'm gonna shove that nightstick up your ass," she threatened and Reno gave a broad grin to her confusion.

"You look _gorgeous_ when you're mad," he remarked and she snarled and turned away with obvious disgust.

Reno laughed aloud and glanced at Rude who gave an out of character smile and shook his head. Rude never irritated either Turk; he was the middleman and friend to both and studiously kept it that way. While Reno and Elena bickered like siblings around him, he'd act as the referee to keep them apart and prevent them from tearing each other to pieces.

Reno often admired his stoic companion. He knew that he'd go insane if he were ever forced to act as 'child minder' for two people as annoying as himself and Elena. 

With a weary sigh he leant back on the door and looked down the stairs that they'd walked up. It had been a nightmarish expedition and although he would never admit it, his feet ached and he longed to massage his legs to get the feeling back into them. He didn't bother though. He'd already reprimanded Elena for her complaining and he wasn't about to open himself to any of her own snide comments. 

Fortunately they hadn't encountered any trouble on the way up but it unnerved him. It was clearly the easiest way up to floor sixty-five, a fact he'd considered before bestowing Cloud and Vincent the front route he recalled with a smirk. But he had found no signs of human activity. As a matter of fact he hadn't found any signs of animal movement either. It was as if the building was truly deserted. Had his investigations and contacts led him on a wild goose-chase? He had no information of the offenders or their motives behind the kidnapping. He wasn't even certain if this was the right place but something within him had urged him to follow this particular lead. 

Rude stood up and cracked his knuckles noisily in the narrow but tall room. Elena grimaced and looked up at him.

"Do you have to do that?" she asked irritably and Reno grinned.

"Looks like Mr. Silent is beginning to wear on Miss. Perfect's nerves," he smirked and both Rude and Elena flashed him angry looks.

"I'm only pissed off because I've had to spend the last hour trudging up a mile of stairs with your incessant prattling and egotistical wisecracks," she snapped at Reno whose eyebrows raised at the ferocity of the comment.

He opened his mouth to yell back but Rude stopped him by speaking first. "This isn't the time or place for an argument. I wouldn't be surprised if there were fifty men on the other side of that door after hearing your petty disputes all the way up on the seventieth floor," he admonished sternly.

Elena blushed from embarrassment while Reno played with his ponytail, twisting it around his finger and pulling on it gently. "Yeah, sorry man," he apologised. "It's just this place... it's givin' me the creeps. I can remember when we used to patrol up and down the stairs looking out for AVALANCHE and anyone else who dared to muscle in on our turf."

Elena smiled. "Isn't it funny how we're risking our butts now to save an enemy of the Shinra and handing out directions to AVALANCHE members?"

Reno laughed quietly. "Well... whoever pays us the most gets our service. I'm sorry that we've ended up working for the opposite team but that's just the ways things go. I still miss that jerk Heidegger running about and ordering us around while Scarlet scampered behind him like a tart in that awful red dress."

Elena grinned and a rare smile graced Rude's face. "Heh, heh, heh. I can still remember that fat bastard Palmer running behind Rufus like a lap dog."

"Did anyone actually like him?"

Reno shook his head. "Nah... I think he was just kept around to make everyone else feel superior."

Elena laughed and Reno grinned, stood and turned to face the door that he'd been leaning against. "C'mon guys, lets do this for us. We don't need the Shinra, hell we don't need Reeve or any AVALANCHE dorks. This one's for us, for Turk pride."

Elena and Rude nodded gravely and readied their pistols while the electric whine of Reno's nightstick reached a higher pitch. With a deep breath, he pressed hard against the rusted door and it screeched in protest but eventually opened.

The three Turks dived into the room; weapons ready and eyes keen to spot any potential threat. It was a massive anticlimax for them to find themselves in a completely empty room with flickering fluorescent lights overhead, probably powered by a small Mako generator that had never been turned off. Dead plants hung pitifully over their containers and crunchy brown leaves littered the floor like an autumn breeze had blown through carrying with it all of the death it signified on its wings. Elena stood up from her crouching position and brushed her dirty knees down while Rude did likewise on the other side of Reno who stood in the middle.

"So where are they?" asked Elena loudly as she walked further into the room, her hands on her hips. "I was expecting _some_ kind of reception party at least... ."

Reno chewed on his ponytail and walked forward to stand beside her. "This is really weird," he mumbled as he glanced over at the elevator doors. "I was expecting some resistance or signs of life. This is just... _bizarre_."

Rude walked quietly from his position beside the door and moved over to the large flower containers in the centre of the vast chamber. He peered into the plant corpses but saw nothing unusual among the rotting stalks and dead soil. Reno looked over to him but he shook his head to signify that he had found nothing.

The flame-haired Turk sighed angrily and prepared to speak when a strange sound filled the air. He had been used to silence other than the sounds that he and the other two made and it was odd to suddenly be made aware of anything else. Looking around for the source of the sound his gaze stopped on one of the elevator doors which was trembling slightly.

Elena looked at him questioningly and began to walk towards it before Reno pulled her back in the fear that anything could come from the long abandoned tube. They slunk back behind the metre high plant holders and readied their pistols in order to fire upon anything that emerged from the doors.

After an eternity passed, there was a chime that sounded familiar but warped in the derelict building. They'd heard it a thousand times before as they moved from level to level when the Shinra had been in power, but to hear it in that terrible place under such circumstances made them wonder if they were part of a cruel joke and this was the twisted punch-line. With a mechanical hiss however, the doors slid open. With baited breaths, they jumped up and aimed their pistols to find nothing. Nothing but empty air in the place of ten angry terrorists wielding guns and swords. 

They were sorely disappointed. Reno's faced screwed up with pure bafflement that was mirrored in his comrades. In unison they stood and began to walk around the sides of the useless rectangular pot. As they advanced upon the open elevator cubicle they stopped and stared in astonishment at the small, innocent looking parcel on the floor of the recess. 

Immediately Reno knew something was wrong. He cried out in shock and the world gradually halted to an unbearably slow pace as everything happened at once. Rude realised at the same time as Reno that they had fallen head over heels for one of the easiest tricks in the book. The bald Turk turned and dived to the ground while Reno slammed his arm around Elena's shoulders and pushed her forward, forcing her to the ground as a massive explosion occurred behind them. All three skidded along the tiled floor from the momentum of their sprint and from the blast of the bomb that had been sent down to greet them. Rude was pushed painfully against the pot and his head hit it with a terrible crack and he slipped into oblivion as the searing flames rushed out to meet him. Reno somehow stumbled to his feet and half dragged Elena away from the source until they were thrown against the opposite wall that housed the door they'd entered through. The world burst into real time once more as the explosion imploded and the elevator cubicle erupted and fell with a scream down the shaft where it hit the bottom with a terrible bang and gale that rushed up and blew around the room scattering debris and leaves. Shrapnel flew out of the gaping hole where the elevator had hung peppering the walls and Turks with metal shards. 

Reno held Elena between himself and the wall; his eyes closed tightly in agony and horrid expectation. The female Turk began to stir, utter shock written across her face beneath the soot marks and stray hair that hung down over her filthy, smoke-stained visage. She turned her head to look at Reno whose face was contorted in pain. 

Silence was the only thing that existed in the room now. Terrible, tense silence that hung in the air only after the most dramatic or horrifying events. Elena didn't want to turn or look around in fear of what she would find. The smell of burning flesh filled the air and made her want to retch.

"R, Reno?" she stuttered in panic, the initial fright wearing off as terrible reality set in. He didn't respond at first but eventually his aqua eyes open and looked into her brown ones. "Oh God, Reno," she whispered. "What the hell happened?"

"A bomb," he answered softly. "Try not to panic, I'll see if you have any injuries."

"You, you saved my life," she murmured while Reno smiled grimly.

"Looks like you owe me one, huh?" he replied, expecting a snide comment in return but receiving none.

"Yeah," she said softly, lowering her eyes and looking at his body. "You're covered in burn marks," she stated obviously and he nodded painfully, his attention brought back to the injuries he'd suffered.

"I'll be alright," he lied through gritted teeth but Elena shook her head firmly.

"Don't act all macho with me you dumb moron. Let me see what's wrong."

Reluctantly, he stood up and backed away from her allowing her to stretch her stiff legs feeling thankful that she hadn't suffered anything worse than slight cramp and shock. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she looked at him. There was a terrible red burn all down the right side of his face and he held his right side with obvious agony. When she pulled his hands away she saw a large piece of metal jutting from his side. She blanched but it was hidden well beneath her dirty mask. Forcing him to sit down and clench his teeth, she pulled it out. He let out a sharp yelp and clutched his side defensively when she attempted to do more. She frowned at him.

"That'll go septic if you don't let me tend it," she said with motherly concern. He looked into her eyes for a few seconds and grudgingly moved his hands and clenched them tightly while she ripped off some of her own blue jacket and patched up the deep wound with it. Examining the other wounds she decided that although they were ugly, they weren't life threatening. Convincing him thus, she stood up and felt a sudden fear. "Where's Rude?" she asked her eyes wide and panicking.

"Oh shit," swore Reno attempting to stand but failing miserably. "I haven't seen him. Look for him Elena."

She nodded and began to scan over the wreckage caused by the blast. Eventually she found him slumped up against the plant container, his suit scorched and his hands and face badly burnt. He appeared to have escaped the shrapnel but he was deeply unconscious and that worried her more than anything else did. 

"Rude?" she called gently without response and she called his name again but he remained still. "Dammit," she cursed under her breath as she reached up and pulled off his sunglasses that had been half melted from the heat of the flames. His eyes were fine to her relief and there was normal skin around them in the shape of a pair of sunglasses which she knew Reno would have fun pointing out to him when he came around. Smiling slightly at the thought, she began to check him more closely for any internal injuries. In the process of this there was the sound of a faint creaking behind her. Puzzlement on her face at what else could exist in the aftermath of such a horrendous explosion, she whirled around with her pistol at the ready. Her eyes came to face the remaining elevator and she watched as it opened preparing to defend her friends to the death if need be.

The doors hissed open as quietly as the other pair which had once stood next to it in the wall. As Elena's eyes focused on the now open cubicle her breath caught in her throat and the pistol slipped from her numb grasp for the second time that night in shock. She attempted to speak but no words came out of lips that were incapable of moving. She sank to her knees and watched as an eerily familiar face smiled cruelly down at her from the open doors.

"Hello Elena. It's good to see that you still remember me. It was nice of you to bring along your friends, after all, I couldn't go without greeting them now could I?"

Her eyes rolled back in her head as everything went black and the world faded from view.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"What the hell was that noise?" gasped Cloud in alarm as his head jerked up.

"Sounded like an explosion," Vincent answered as he rose from his sitting position and walked over to the open elevator doors. The sound came from the closed shaft and he felt thankful that they had chosen the safest passage. "We were lucky," he said to voice his thoughts. "If we had been in the other tube then we'd probably be dead now."

He examined their route and stepped back as the cable that they had been climbing previously began to move. "It would seem that the Turks have encountered our kidnappers," he commented flatly and Cloud leapt up and ran over to him.

He peered up the tube but was unable to see anything in the darkness. "Someone's using the elevator further up to come down," he mumbled as he watched the cables moving in front of him.

"That means that they'll be going up in a moment," Vincent responded with a cold logic. "If we hold onto the ropes then it would save us a long climb."

Cloud nodded but felt a pit appear at the bottom of his stomach. "I hope they're alright."

"They will be. Turks have a habit of surviving, especially those three," Vincent replied and Cloud wondered whether he heard a hint of pride in his companion's voice.

They waited in silence for a few minutes until there was a mechanical buzzing up the shaft. "This is our ride," the blonde-haired warrior said as he took a deep breath and leapt into the shaft grabbing onto one of the cables. 

He slipped a few inches grateful for his sword gloves, without which he would've lost the skin of his palms. Vincent followed seconds later grabbing the rope only with his claw but keeping a firm enough grip to stop himself from sliding down. Once he was ready, he moved his right hand up to grab the cable and take some of the weight off his left. There was a sudden jerk on the cables as the elevator began to move and the two men were pulled upwards at three times the speed they had been moving at before. They both struggled to keep their grip and eventually their ride stopped as the cubicle above them halted suddenly and almost yanked the rope from their hands. Cloud swung into the open elevator doors on the floor their journey had stopped at and Vincent dropped in after him. They picked themselves up and Cloud brushed down his clothes that were covered in old dust and grime. Half-satisfied with his appearance, he glanced over at Vincent who stood with his back to him.

"You okay?" asked his friend who nodded but didn't turn around.

He looked over Vincent's shoulder and saw him examining his right hand. The fingerless shooting glove hadn't provided any protection for his fingers against the friction burns of the rope and they were raw red and blistered.

"Oh God Vincent, here let me dress them," he grimaced but Vincent shrank away and shook his head firmly.

"I'll be all right," he said sharply and Cloud didn't bother to argue.

With a shrug he walked away and began looking around the room. '60' painted in huge black numbers on the wall opposite the elevator doors indicated the floor number. Fortunately for them the floor was the start of the internal set of stairs that could be used to move from level to level when the elevators were out of order without resorting to the steps that the Turks had used. 

Cloud pointed it out to Vincent who seemed more intrigued with his wound too pay much attention. With a weary sigh he slumped up against one of the walls and took the Ultima Weapon from its holder. He began to play idly with the ornate hilt and wondered what everyone was doing and if Tifa was thinking about him.

__

I wish I'd said something. I wish that I'd apologised or at least let her know how I feel about her. He mused glumly. _I'm too much of a jerk to see what I have until it's too late. I know. When I get back I'll tell her. I'll stop waiting and hoping that I can put it off until another day. I won't shy away; I'll do it. Everyone else has suffered so much through love but I won't let that happen to me. I'll go home and I'll tell her how much she means to me and I'll make her glad that she's been the only one who stuck beside me through everything. I've never properly thanked her. I never once said how grateful I was. Why do I always think about these things when there's no way of telling her? Man, I'm an idiot._

He sighed and stood up, the Ultima Weapon still in his hand.

"C'mon Vincent, it's time to go," he said wearily, suddenly longing for home.

The ex-Turk nodded and walked over to Cloud who now stood beside the door that led to the stairs. With a nod, the young warrior pushed it open and they walked into the confined space with the electrical hum of barely working lights overhead. 

Cloud adjusted his hold on the enormous sword; his palms feeling sweaty beneath his thick leather gloves. Vincent slipped the Death Penalty from its holster and held it up next to his face in preparation for danger. They crept silently up the stairs until they stood beside the floor sixty-one entrance. Vincent nodded at Cloud and the ex-SOLDIER pushed up against the door with his shoulder. It burst open and they leapt into the room full of expectations and fears; only there was nothing. 

There were signs that something terrible had happened, obvious even to the least experienced fighter. The lights had exploded and live wires hung sparking from the ceiling. Blast marks emanated out from one of the elevators whose doors had been torn off in the presence of a great power. The charred remains of a large plant holder lay in the middle of the room and shrapnel jutted from the walls like deadly spikes. Cloud left the door behind him open as he walked in complete shock into the room. Vincent followed silently and proceeded to meld into the shadows as he patrolled the corners for signs of danger.

Cloud walked to the middle of the vast chamber, his path illuminated by the light that beamed out from the open doorway behind him. His shadow stretched onwards into the room until it bent as it hit the wall opposite him. As he watched his shadow for a moment something caught his eye and he walked quickly towards it. A shocked gasp came from him as he bent down and touched a blood mark on the floor. The fingers of his gloves came back stained crimson. 

"Vincent, quick," he called, suppressing the urge to vomit. "I, I've found something."

He heard the sound of something moving and Vincent's shadow was cast over the spot as the ex-Turk walked up behind him. "What is it?"

"Blood," Cloud answered grimly.

There was a movement behind him and then something was thrown down before him. He lifted the shapeless black object up from the floor and felt a chill down his spine. The object was badly melted but it was vaguely recognisable as a pair of sunglasses. "The Turks," he mumbled and Vincent knelt down beside him.

"I think we can presume that they were taken prisoner," he said evenly, his voice without emotion. He reached down and to Cloud's horror wiped his fingers in the blood but stopped as he noticed something more. He lifted something off the floor and held it to his face for examination. Cloud looked at him in puzzlement but Vincent eventually passed him an almost invisible strand of short blonde hair. "This is where Elena and Reno were during the blast," he announced as he stood up and turned back to the decimated plant holder. "Rude was trapped there."

"I hope they're alright," Cloud said softly. "It looks like it was a hell of a blast."

Vincent nodded and wiped his fingertips on his cloak to remove the bloodstain. However as Cloud watched him do this, something struck him as odd. "Vincent? How's your hand?" he asked suddenly and the dark figure stopped and looked at him strangely.

"It's all right," he answered hesitantly but Cloud stepped towards him and he put the hand behind his back defensively.

"Can I see it?"

"No. Really, it's okay. I don't need anything. It doesn't hurt," Vincent said quickly in a less than persuasive manner.

"Let me just take a look. I won't hurt you I just want to make sure of something," but Vincent shook his head firmly and backed away until he was trapped between the wall and the young SOLDIER who had a disturbingly resolute look in his eyes.

"I'm warning you Cloud," said Vincent suddenly. Cloud the faltered for a brief second wondering whether it was truly worth all the tension to simply examine a wound. But the way his friend was acting was beyond strange. It was just a burn after all, wasn't it? Vincent's eyes took on a dangerous glint, but stubbornly refusing to acknowledge it, Cloud pressed on.

"Let me see it," the younger man insisted firmly but Vincent persisted in holding back.

Without warning however Cloud lunged forward and grabbed Vincent's arm and pulled it out into the light so he could examine it. Within seconds he dropped it and looked into Vincent's eyes, horror and puzzlement swimming in the bright blue depths.

"What? How is this possible??" he stuttered, shock overriding every other sense in his mind.

Vincent snatched his hand back furiously and turned away to face the working elevator. "It's nothing. It's not important," he muttered angrily but Cloud grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him around to meet his gaze.

"Vincent, the wound has gone! It was there ten minutes ago and not even elixirs work that fast! What the hell is going on here?" Cloud questioned, his eyes wide and Vincent's narrowed.

"It is nothing to do with you," his companion spat fiercely.

He strode away from the flabbergasted warrior who was unable to comprehend what he had just seen. The friction burns of holding onto the cable had shredded Vincent's fingers only ten minutes ago but now they had completely healed over without a scar or scab. Nothing could clear up a wound that quickly without leaving some kind of mark and he was certain that his eyes were working properly. With anyone else he would believe that he was going insane but this was too strange. Something was going on here that he didn't know about and he was determined to find out.

He spun around and prepared to confront Vincent once more but the sound of machinery working behind him forced him to cease his queries. He backed away to stand near to Vincent who had redrawn the Death Penalty and had it aimed at the elevator. The ex-SOLDIER unsheathed his sword and together the pair were ready to defend themselves once again. All thoughts evacuated Cloud's mind as his blue gaze fixed upon the slightly trembling doors and his muscles tensed in preparation.

The second that the door opened the firing began. A rain of bullets sprayed out towards the pair who separated and dived for the floor, hoping to gain some cover from the battered plant holder. Vincent rolled across the rubble littered ground and fired blindly around the corner of the rectangular structure, smiling in sick satisfaction to himself as he heard one of the enemies cry out in pain and fall to the floor. He dared to stick his head around the corner and take a quick count. Ducking back he turned to Cloud and held up eight fingers. Eight fingers for eight men. 

Cloud nodded grimly and leapt to his feet and sprinted across the no-mans land towards a corner near the elevator. As expected, one of the men dared to give chase and his life was ended by an almighty swing of the huge Ultima Weapon that almost cleaved him in two. Using the now dead man as a body shield, Cloud ran towards the elevator, his eyes closed tightly in preparation for hell. He felt bullets thud against the corpse and only metres from his intended destination, he released the man and flung him into the small crowd. They scattered out of the way and Vincent leapt up from behind his position and fired upon the confused fighters.

He killed two of them instantly and they dropped to the floor as he made a run for the corner opposite to the one Cloud had emerged from. Meanwhile, the warrior was engaged in a viscous sword and gunfight with two more men. While they fired, he deflected the bullets with the blade of his sword and they reflected back at the enemies who were forced to dive for cover. He launched himself forward when they stopped and in a murderous swing he decapitated both of them easily. They fell to the floor and their blood spurted out across the tiles, spreading like a hideous plague and Cloud was forced to leap back onto the plant holder. Two more of the men appeared before him, both with their guns loaded and aimed for his head. In a last desperate effort, Cloud dropped and swung the sword as low as he could and knocked them both to the floor. He held the sword before him with the blade pointed downwards and he jumped from the higher platform and stabbed one of the men. Pulling the sword back, he prepared to plunge it into the last survivor. But he was too slow and by the time he raised his eyes, he was looking down the barrel of a rifle. 

"Throw your weapon down and surrender," came the firm order but Cloud shook his head and slowly raised the sword in the futile hope that he wouldn't be noticed. However the man kicked up and the blade was sent flying through the air to impale itself in the floor metres behind him and out of reach. 

Cloud lifted his hands in submission and a shot rang out. His face screwed up and his fists clenched in readiness for the burning sensation of a bullet as it tore through his skull. But it never came. He cautiously opened his eyes and saw Vincent standing away from him; the Death Penalty pointed towards his chest, smoke drifting from the black barrel. In a brief, panicking moment Cloud presumed that his friend had shot him. His eyes lowered eventually as his breath slowed and he looked down upon the corpse of the man who'd held him at gunpoint seconds before. A bloodstain was slowly spreading across his shirt. 

"I hate shooting people in the back," Vincent commented dryly as he slipped the Death Penalty into its holster.

Cloud sighed deeply in an effort to calm his racing nerves but without much luck. He turned and lifted the Ultima Weapon, slotting it back into place on his back. "I've been fighting brainless monsters for so long it seems weird to fight humans. I still hate it," he finished giving pitying looks down to the dead men. "I don't like killing people, especially young ones."

He knelt down and rolled over the one that Vincent had shot onto his back. He pulled off the man's helmet that covered his face and gently closed the young man's eyes and smoothed out his hair. Taking a moment to examine the man's clothes he found nothing that would reveal who he was or what he was doing there. All of them wore the same simple uniform. It consisted of a pale blue shirt with a darker blue jacket and trousers similar to the ones that he wore as part of the old SOLDIER outfit. Whoever led this group was organised and had plans. Why would anyone bother dressing up hired mercenaries in such a way?

He stood up wearily and looked over the slaughter. All of them had been killed in such gruesome methods. Some with bullets in the head or back whilst his own victims bore terrible slash marks and deep cuts. It was terrible to look over Kalm wolves but it was something else to look down on dead humans. 

Out of morbid curiosity in order to numb his brain of a sight he knew he'd come across more than once in the trials to come, he counted the bodies. Eight of them just as Vincent had pointed. But there was once more a nagging doubt at the back of his mind like the one that he'd had when looking at Vincent's hand_. Didn't he say that there were eight men **after** he'd shot one of them?_ Cloud thought to himself as he began to look around for his silent companion._ We're missing a body; _he mused as he walked around the room in an effort to locate Vincent.

"Vincent?" he called eventually. "Where are you?"

"Right here," came the reply as the ex-Turk stepped out of the corner he'd shrunk into during the fight. 

Cloud frowned. "I think we're missing a body," he said glancing around and Vincent looked behind him.

"One of them sneaked up on me when I was reloading," he explained. "The body is behind me," he finished indicating to the corner he'd emerged from.

"Oh. What were you doing just then?"

Vincent held out his right hand and unclenched the long white fingers to show several unused bullets. "Ammo," he responded simply and walked away to the elevator preventing his companion from continuing.

Shrugging to himself but realising that it would be pointless to push, Cloud joined Vincent and they went into the cubicle and pushed the 'up' button. Vincent examined and reloaded the Death Penalty with expert speed and Cloud took the chance to scrutinise his own weapon. 

All too quickly however, the ride stopped and the doors hissed open. Exchanging glances, they walked out and found themselves enveloped in darkness. The doors shut behind them and Vincent whirled around but the elevator had already gone leaving them trapped and without an escape route. Cloud swallowed nervously and peered into the darkness but could see nothing. Vincent turned around after weakly attempting to open the elevator doors and joined him in looking into oblivion.

There was absolutely no light in the room other than a dim one above the elevator doors and Cloud didn't know whether the walls were ten or twenty metres from him. All he could see were old desks and office chairs strewn across the carpet. Papers littered the floor and he felt tempted to reach down and pick one of them up to find some clue to where he was. In the consuming blackness he couldn't even find the huge numbers which indicated the level they stood on. As he glanced at Vincent he watched his dark friend look around the room, his eyes focusing on things he couldn't even imagine existed. It seemed that enhanced night vision was one of Vincent's many hidden talents.

"What can you see?" asked Cloud in a low tone, fearful of alerting any unseen enemies.

Vincent turned back to him, his face blank and unrevealing. "Nothing," he answered eventually. "No more than you."

He turned away and Cloud was left scratching his head thoughtfully. Vincent certainly wasn't divulging much to him that night and his manner was more than a little suspicious.

Relying on hearing alone with a grudging sigh, Cloud began a stunted exploration of the room feeling his way around the walls and scattered furniture. As he glanced back at the elevators he momentarily saw Vincent watching him but quickly turned away after noticing Cloud's observation. The blonde-haired warrior raised his eyebrows in surprise and thought. He could barely see his hands before him and wondered how on earth Vincent was capable of watching him through the shadows. He didn't want to question or mention it though. It was obvious that Vincent didn't enjoy revealing or talking of his 'abilities' and his mind was already too heavy with the peculiar events of the night to probe any further into what was happening. He was there to find Reeve and get out. This was beginning to get far too difficult without trying to reveal hidden secrets. 

After a while he had been around the perimeter of the entire room and found nothing. It was quite large at about thirty metres by thirty metres but he had no idea what lay in the middle or down the numerous corridors that branched off from it. He hadn't dared explore them without light in fear of being ambushed or injured when he was so utterly blind. Fighting physical enemies was one thing, but attempting to kill shadows was quite another. In the dark it was his own imagination he found himself doubting the most.

"Did you find anything?" Vincent asked when Cloud once more stood in the pool of light shed from the elevator sign.

__

You know damn well that I didn't find anything. You've been watching me all the way around this room. What are you hiding Vincent? Why are you being so defensive and secretive all of a sudden? I wish I could see through this mask you put on and maybe I would get some answers. "No." Cloud answered eventually, eyeing Vincent warily.

Vincent stared back and seemed about to say something when there was a faint click from the other side of the room. Vincent turned suddenly to look towards the sound while Cloud was left gazing blankly into the shadows.

There was the sound of movement like footsteps shuffling across the carpet opposite them and the sound of something else, less recognisable but more mechanical approaching. Cloud held the Ultima Weapon feeling immediately safer for having the blade in his hands. He stared in vain into the blackness but could see nothing and leapt in shock as Vincent gasped and stumbled back next to him. Unable to see the threat advancing, Cloud took a few cautious steps until he stood beside Vincent who now had his back up against the wall.

"What is it?" he hissed, one eye on his friend and the other on the shadows.

"It can't be... it's just not possible! "Vincent muttered, his red eyes wide and staring while his head shook as though he were attempting to deny what he'd seen.

Cloud grabbed the neck of Vincent's cloak and shook him violently to knock some sense into him. "Vincent tell me!" me whispered frantically. "What is it?"

"H, H, Ho-" Vincent stuttered fearfully, stopped as a voice behind them finished the sentence.

"I believe the word you are looking for is 'Hojo'," sneered a person from the shadows.

Cloud spun around, a look of shock matching Vincent's covered his face at the sound of the horrifically familiar voice. As he watched in terror, like a ghost, a man wearing a white lab coat emerged from the darkness. He was quite tall although he walked with his hands clasped behind his slightly hunched back. He wore his long black hair back in a ponytail that allowed several strands to hang over his thin face and a pair of small round spectacles perched on the end of his nose over a wicked and sneering grin that came from the darkest pits of hell. 

"Hojo," Cloud repeated in a whispered voice. "How...?"

"How am I alive? Simple really," the scientist answered, taking off his glasses and polishing them on the hem of his lab coat before replacing them and looking at the two men. "It would seem that you are such a failure, you are incapable of killing a defenceless scientist."

Cloud shook his head in disbelief. This wasn't possible, it couldn't be. Vincent had delivered the killing blow, almost tearing the scientist's head from his body as Chaos. They had left him cold and still beside the Sister Ray controls where he would've been crushed anyway by the weight of the massive cannon collapsing during Meteor's attack.

"I see you are trying to think of an explanation," Hojo spoke to destroy the moment's silence. "You obviously didn't do as good a job as you thought you had." 

"Hojo, stop taunting them," ordered a second voice from the shadows. 

Cloud once more looked to Vincent who was still staring in horrified shock at Hojo. Without any choice but to wait for the second person to make themselves known, Cloud watched the area behind the ghostly scientist. Eventually, a wheelchair moved slowly into view but the figure sitting in it caused Cloud to almost collapse.

"Yes. I can see how you may be having a hard time, Cloud. Two people returning from the dead and everything, but don't worry. You'll have plenty of time to get used to it," smiled the young man who sat in the chair pleasantly.

He wore a white suit over a black polo-neck shirt that contrasted as strongly as Hojo's heart and his lab-coat. A shotgun lay on his lap which he drummed his fingers along in a reassured fashion. He had curtained strawberry blonde hair that hung over bright, cold blue eyes. He smirked as he saw Cloud's face fall.

"I'm so glad that you could both stop by and give your regards."

"Rufus," murmured Cloud as he watched the young man. His gaze shifted between the two men until he felt as though his legs were going to fall under him through sheer lack of understanding. Swallowing hard he said the first thing which came to his mind. "But you're both dead. You should be dead! How can you be here??"

"Now, now failure," sneered Hojo. "Watch your blood pressure. I don't want you having a heart attack or anything on me. You're much too important for that."

"Imp, Important? What are you talking about? I don't understand," Cloud faltered as he finally fell to the floor, too overwhelmed by the horror of seeing two men that should have been dead for five years.

"I need you for my little experiment." Hojo grinned as he stepped into the light. "I won't bother going into that though because I don't want to bewilder your pathetic mind any more than is necessary."

"No. Tell me," Cloud begged, his eyes wide in confusion. "What experiment? What are you going to do?"

"I, Hojo in all of my genius shall take the living to recreate the dead. I will overcome the barriers set by the laws of nature itself and I shall better them!" he answered jubilantly, his proud speech destroyed by Rufus pulling faces behind his back. "I will better what nature has sought to destroy for its perfection. The universe thought it could conquer me but it was wrong!" he yelled, spittle beginning to fly from his mouth as he became increasingly enthusiastic. "Wrong!" 

He stopped and panted heavily and Cloud noticed that Rufus had ceased his taunting and was looking at the scientist with obvious concern. Eventually, Hojo wiped his brow and looked up, a manic grin spreading across his face. "I will recreate Sephiroth," he ended triumphantly, his voice a whisper; his face only centimetres from Cloud's. "I will make a god!"

Cloud's vision swam and his mind reeled. He'd spent an entire year of nightmares trying to conquer his fear of the general who had destroyed his life. He had pulled AVALANCHE through hell to stop the insane Sephiroth as he sought godhood and was prepared to sacrifice the planet in his bid. He'd suffered visions and agonies imagining that the madman was waiting around every corner, lurking in every shadow. His aqua eyes glowing and peering out of the darkest nights, watching him and haunting his every thought and dream. He'd imagined his friends slaughtered as they slept by the hands of his nemesis even though the silver-haired man had been destroyed many years before. He had taken Cloud's mind and twisted it to his own design, using the young warrior for acts of terror that he had wanted to kill himself over. Hojo wanted to bring him back to life? How could he do that? _Why_ would he do that? What had driven the scientist to do such a thing? Was the world going mad or was it just him? 

__

Yes, that's right. This is just a dream. Rufus and Hojo are dead. Vincent's still wandering around the world, hidden from us so we think that he's in his coffin. Reeve is probably asleep at his desk right now after a long night of work. I'll wake up in a few minutes and turn over to see Tifa; her beautiful face illuminated by a shaft of sunlight as it comes in through the curtains. I'll watch her for a while, I won't wake her. I hope that her dreams are better than my own. I won't tell her about this. I thought that my nightmares were over and she'll get worried if she thinks that I'm dreaming of all of this again. It isn't possible. It **can't** be possible.

"Bastard!!" roared Vincent suddenly, shattering the silence and dragging Cloud from his optimistic thoughts and forcing him to see dreaded reality. 

Vincent lunged forward; his claw raised and ready to slash down on Hojo who watched the fury too transfixed to move at first. As the gauntlet was brought down to smash into his skull, he somehow twisted himself out of the way and it crashed into the floor with a terrible clang that resounded around the room.

Vincent looked up after pulling the claw from the floor and his eyes glowed with hatred, the blood red irises gleaming murder in the darkness. Hojo was obviously shocked and disturbed from the sudden change but he tried to remain outwardly calm and collected. "What are you going to do now, Valentine? Transform into one of your little monsters and try to kill me? Hmm?"

"Yes! I'm going to make you pay for what you did," Vincent hissed menacingly, the light in his eyes alarmingly bright

"Oh now I don't think that would be very productive, do you?" Hojo said in the tone of voice that a parent would use when reprimanding a child. Rufus was visibly shaken by the turn of events and was wheeling himself away from the area as quickly as he could without drawing attention.

"Besides, there will always be Janus to continue my work."

Vincent stopped at the single comment as he cocked his head and looked at Hojo in distrust. "Janus? Here...?"

"Yes, I'm sorry did I not mention that?" Hojo chuckled and the anger faded faintly from Vincent's eyes in the confusion. "It's just like a proper little reunion, isn't it? Heh, heh, heh," he chortled to himself as he glanced up at Vincent's puzzlement. "All we need now is Lucrecia and then it really will be official!"

Vincent crouched down low as though preparing to pounce on Hojo. "Don't you DARE mention her name!!" he roared furiously, his voice deepening and taking on a bestial quality.

Unfazed by the immanent explosion of anger, Hojo seemed cheered even more greatly by Vincent's reaction. "Yes... I can understand your anger. After all she was a little whore wasn't she? I mean, knocking off two men at once... We certainly did keep her busy didn't we?" he said gleefully.

"Vincent, God no he's only saying that to make you angry! Just ignore the evil swine!!" 

Cloud pleaded but it was too late.

With a cry of agony, Vincent fell to the floor and clutched his stomach as he gasped from the pain and tried to remain in control without avail.

"I think it's time we made our exit," Hojo said calmly as he turned back to Rufus who had already fled to the way out.

Cloud watched in horror as the nightmarish transformation enveloped his friend. The shadows that kept outside of the light seemed to be drawn into him until he was cocooned within a black shell that was increasing in size emitting terrible, agonised screams. Two massive wings burst from the creature and Cloud was forced to leap back to avoid being crushed beneath the powerful beats. Eventually all movement stopped and an ear splitting roar echoed around the room as the demon that was once Vincent raised its head. It smelt the air and eventually turned around and looked Cloud directly in the face, it's eyes level with his own even though it was still half lying on the floor.

"V, Vincent," stuttered Cloud as he looked into Chaos's pure red eyes. "It's me! C, Cloud."

The demon continued to watch him. With a sniff, it eventually turned away towards the shadows and stood up, towering over Cloud at just under twelve feet tall. He glanced around the room and smelt the air, growling and glaring towards where Rufus and Hojo had run. 

As Cloud listened, he heard the sound of the door opening once more and Chaos roared as it caught sight of several men entering carrying guns and tranquilliser darts. 

Cloud felt completely blind in the room. He knew that a threat was approaching but he was incapable of defending himself. He had his sword but they had guns and he would be shot down before he could even go for the Ultima Weapon. The fact didn't seem to deter the demon however and it crouched down low before Cloud as if protecting him and snarled towards the advancing men threateningly.

He couldn't think properly, he never could as the demon. Pure rage and emotion ran his actions as Chaos. Logical thought took the back seat. There was someone unfamiliar coming, his predatorial vision allowed him to see them approach through the darkness but he knew that Cloud was helpless and he had to protect him. It was as simple as that. The bestial instincts wouldn't allow him to think in any more depth and so he handed himself over to demon without argument. It was easier that way; it had almost driven him mad trying to make it otherwise and sometimes it felt good to throw all caution to the wind and forget everything for a moment of simplicity.

They were close enough for him to smell now, the tranquilliser fluid was strong, almost in an overpowering way but he knew their intentions. He wished that there was someway to warn his weaker friend. 

But that was as far as his worries got before he lunged.

Cloud stayed pinned back against the wall and watched as the demon leapt away from him and towards the advancing men. He heard their horrified screams as Chaos tore down upon them and ripped them limb from limb, tearing their bodies to pieces in the most hideous ways possible. 

Unable to see what was happening, Cloud pulled out the Ultima Weapon and almost prayed for a chance to use it. As one of the men stumbled back into the light, he plunged it forward and impaled them and watched as they sank to the floor, drowning in their own blood. He pulled the weapon back and eagerly waited again for another chance to prove his usefulness. Another dared to enter the light and he slashed at them but they nimbly leapt back and raised their gun. He pulled up his sword just in time and winced in agony as he felt one of the shots hit his sword arm. When the bullets ceased, in one fluidic movement, he pulled up the sword and swung it horizontally to the ground, slicing his opponent open and then he plunged the blade forward to end the man's life. His enemy fell to the floor clutching his chest and breathing his last. Cloud looked down grimly at him.

He stopped for a moment and massaged his temples after the blood had long ceased flowing from the slice across the soldier's chest. He had suddenly come over weary and was having problems keeping his eyes open. The bestial screams of Chaos became drawn out and faint as though he was moving away from the scene at an incalculable pace. There was a floor below him. He was certain of that much otherwise how would he be standing. He _was_ standing wasn't he…? He couldn't be sure any more. The walls were closing in and his chest was tightening with every panicked gasp of air. Unable to remain standing, he fell to his knees and weakly tried to pull himself back up to a standing position using the sword as a lever. His vision blurring, he glanced down at the bullet wound and saw a tranquilliser dart sticking out of arm. With an ironic smile he plucked the dart from his arm and threw it to the floor as he heard a crash and Chaos fell to the floor unconscious. 

"Ah, damn Vincent," he slurred wearily, patting the demon on its head. "Looks like we got caught."

Swaying exhaustedly for a few seconds as a cacophony of sounds and black shimmered before him, he finally fell backwards and into a deep, drug induced sleep.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Tifa sat bolt upright in bed, sweat pouring from her forehead and shimmering in the moonlight that shone through a crack in the curtains. Panting heavily she looked around the room as if to reassure herself that everything was in order. Only it wasn't... she was lonely. She looked down at the space next to her in the bed where Cloud would lie and she stroked it absently and thought of him.

She brushed a bead of sweat from her cheek and half-mindedly scraped back the long hairs that had become stuck to her face. She looked out of the window and up at the stars which shone brightly through the veil of darkness that smothered the city and sighed sadly.

After a moment's thought, she slipped out of the bed and a shiver ran down her spine from the icy air. Running quickly on tip-toes she grabbed a thin silk dressing gown that hung from the back of her door and pulled it on feeling the cool material soothe her hot skin. She tied the belt and with a last longing glance at the room, she slipped quietly into the landing. Glancing into Yuffie's room to ensure that the young girl was all right, she stepped quietly down the stairs to the kitchen and walked softly along the hall that ran below the upper balcony landing. She pushed open the door to the kitchen, her mind elsewhere and gasped in shock to see Cid sat at one of the benches cradling a mug.

"Cid," she said softly as she moved over to him. "What are you doing here? Where have you been?" It had seemed like weeks had passed since she had laid eyes upon the worn-out pilot, whereas in truth barely a few days had elapsed. With Yuffie aiding her in the bar, time had passed in flashes as customers came and went, bottles bought and thrown away. In amongst all the confusion which had overtaken her senses for the past few days she had found no rock to cling to and find solace. The sight of her friend sat at the kitchen bench seemed to drag her dream-like mind back into reality and give her the feel of animation she needed.

He looked up at her and she was upset to see more stubble than usual cover his chin and dark shadows beneath his eyes. "Sorry. Did I wake you up?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No it's all right. I had a bad dream and couldn't sleep."

She pulled up a stool and sat beside him. He looked as though he hadn't slept for days; his clothes were crumpled and his face was weary and dirty. His posture was slumped and exhausted and his flying goggles lay discarded on the bench top. She began to play with them idly as her thoughts somehow wondered back to Cloud.

"What was it about?" he asked unexpectedly.

"Huh?"

"The dream," Cid explained. "You said you had a nightmare. What was it about?"

"Oh, nothing really. Just... stuff," she answered unrevealingly, unable to focus her mind on the blurred and flickering images that had forced her so rudely from sleep. "I can't really remember."

He gave a soft snort of laughter. "Yeah, I get that all the time. Annoying isn't it?" 

She smiled weakly feeling physically drained but mentally active. She was too worried to sleep. Worried in case the dream returned with it's fleeting but terrifying images. And worried about Cloud.

"So then. I guess that Cloud and old Vinny are still on their little mission, huh?"

She nodded. "Cloud left a few days ago. He met Vincent and the Turks at the Sector Six-Seven gate," her voice trailed off at the mention of _his_ name.

"You're worried about him, huh?" Cid asked already knowing the answer but simply glad to hear her voice.

She nodded. "I was awful to him all day before he left. I hope he's safe."

"I can't imagine you bein' awful to anyone," Cid smirked and Tifa grinned at him.

"No. I was _really_ awful," she sighed and began twirling the goggle straps around her fingers. "I was ignoring him and refusing to speak to him. I don't know why. It's been tearing me to pieces to do it but it somehow seemed right."

Cid pulled a box of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out and lit it. He inhaled and exhaled deeply. The gesture came out as a sorrowful sigh and Tifa glanced at him questioningly. "Sometimes it kills ya to do something and you never do find out whether you were meant to in the first place. You just gotta trust Lady Luck and hope you've done the right thing."

She smiled. "That was very philosophical of you, Cid."

"Hey, I'm a guy of many talents," he grinned and she smiled and shook her head. His face became serious however as he examined his cigarette thoughtfully as though he couldn't find anything else to look at. "Why were you givin' him the cold shoulder then? You can't have just started for no reason at all."

Tifa clasped her dressing gown around her and began to feel uncomfortable in the suddenly cold room that seemed devoid of all emotion and comfort. "Many things I suppose," she responded eventually. "I'm just worried about AVALANCHE and I took it all out him."

"AVALANCHE?"

"Yeah. Everyone just seems to be drifting apart," she sighed, her eyes drooping wearily and her body becoming numb. "Reeve's gone missing, Vincent scared Yuffie half to death, you and Cloud fell out. _Me_ and Cloud have fallen out and now the dumb jerk's dragged Vincent up to the HQ where anything could happen to them," she traced invisible patterns with her fingertips on the bench surface. "I never even apologised to him. He was hanging around for ages before he left. I think he was waiting for me to say sorry but I was too proud to."

A tear ran down her cheek from her eye and fell onto the wooden bench-surface. "He could be dead right now and I never even asked him to forgive me," she sobbed as she broke down into the tears that she had been holding back for so long.

Cid stubbed out his cigarette and held her, giving her a shoulder to cry on which he knew she'd been without for so long now and was sorely in need of. "Shh, shh," he soothed as he ran his hand down her hair comfortingly and she cried with all of the grief and regret that had been haunting her in her dreams.

Cid's bomber jacket reeked of nicotine but she didn't care. He was one of her friends and it was a part of him, one of the people in the world that she was most afraid of losing. It was just like Cait's megaphone or Barret's gun-arm; something which made her think of their closeness. She'd lost her family and wasn't prepared to lose the people who had supported her for a year of hell and who she'd supported in return. Few people on the planet would have any idea how much they meant to her but it seemed as though the bond between them wasn't strong enough to hold them through such a stagnant period. That night before she slept, she almost prayed for some new disaster, something that would unite the eight heroes of the Meteor Crisis once more. She couldn't express in words how much she longed for adventure and the chance to be with everyone again. Although the year of Meteor had been the worst she'd ever lived through, in some way it had been the best. She wished for the feel of the wind through her hair as she stood on the Gongaga Plains overlooking the beautiful grasslands. She craved for the tension and excitement of stepping into a place so unusual and alien like it was as though it had emerged from the pages of a fairytale. But most of all she longed for the comradeship. The nights when AVALANCHE would sit together around a campfire and simply talk beneath the stars. 

Cloud would always sit between herself and Aeris, somehow dividing his time between them equally and cheering up the most downtrodden spirits. Barret would sit next to her and Red; he'd talk with the feline-like beast about the planet and the universe. She'd always thought it amusing that someone such as Barret found interest in the intricate workings of the world and the life that existed upon it. Cid and Cait would sit opposite her either arguing or playing poker which would eventually lead to some kind of disagreement. Yuffie would creep around everyone and they would keep careful eyes on their possessions; one eye on their belongings and another on their conversation. Vincent would always sit away from the fire, his back to the frivolities and his face to the stars as he contemplated life. She would always take the time every night to sit on her own and watch everyone; freezing the moment in her mind like a photograph that she could take out whenever she was sad or lonely and needed something to cheer herself up.

Cid stopped stroking Tifa as she let out a contented sigh and was still except for deep and even breathing. He smiled softly to himself and stood up, sweeping one arm under her legs and lifting her easily. He carried her back to her room and set her down gently on the bed, pulling the covers over her and flattening out her hair so that she wouldn't accidentally pull it. 

And so he left her, a secret smile on her face as she once more travelled the world with AVALANCHE in her dreams.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"When you're weary, feeling small,

When tears are in your eyes, 

I will dry them all;

I'm on your side. 

When times get rough

And friends just can't be found, 

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down.

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down.

When you're down and out,

When you're on the street,

When evening falls so hard

I will comfort you.

I'll take your part.

When darkness comes 

And pain is all around,

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down.

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down."

Bridge over Troubled Waters

By Simon and Garfunkel

~Lucrecia Marionette~


	5. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

****

by Lucrecia Marionette

__

~Chapter 5~

'Nightmares Relived and Revealed'

________________________________________________________

Cloud's eyes opened slowly, his bleary vision allowing him to only see blobs of light and vague shapes but nothing more. He lifted his arms and rubbed his tired eyes, bringing the world into focus. He was looking up at a pale grey ceiling with humming fluorescent tube lighting dotted across it evenly. They flickered and buzzed with an electric whining and it drilled into his skull until he wanted to pull the pillow his head rested on over his ears. He had a terrible headache and whenever he moved his neck, it shot down his nerves and almost paralysed his limbs. 

He lifted his head cautiously and looked down at himself. He was lying in a hospital style bed with the sheets folded around him so tightly he could see every contour of his body. The covers were lying from his waist down and he was topless and without his gloves. He peered beneath the starched white sheets and noticed with some relief that he was still wearing his trousers. 

A shooting pain ran down his spine and reluctantly, he lay back down on the firm bed. He groaned and slowly rolled his head so that he was looking to his right. There was another hospital bed and someone else lay in it. Although unsure at first, Cloud quickly picked out Vincent's long black hair and gold claw that was twitching spasmodically. He lay on his back with his eyes closed. Sighing to himself Cloud realised that he was asleep and probably wouldn't appreciate being woken.

He slowly moved his head until he looked to his left and for the first time unnervingly noticed several monitors hooked up to himself. There was a drip going into his arm that contained a clear water-like liquid. He pulled a face. It reminded him disturbingly of nightmares he'd suffered about what had happened to him over the four years that Hojo used him as a test subject. He was lucky; he couldn't remember anything that happened to him during those experiments unlike the man who lay in the bed next to his. 

As if on cue, there was a soft moaning to his right and Cloud painfully rolled his head over to face the other bed to see Vincent beginning to stir. He rubbed his face with his good hand and sat up slowly to look down on himself. His skin was deathly pale and scars covered his chest. Cloud watched silent and curious as Vincent traced the index finger of his claw along the old wounds as though he hadn't seen them for years and had forgotten their presence.

"Hey, Vincent," he called softly and Vincent turned to look at him, alarm written on his pale face. "What's wrong?" Cloud asked but his friend ignored him and once more lay down on his bed with his back facing the young warrior.

Cloud grimaced as he saw yet more scars covering Vincent's back, no doubt from his year of torture at Hojo's hands. With grim understanding Cloud saw why Vincent had always covered himself so obsessively; it was easy to comprehend when the signs of his past were so obvious. He longed to comfort his companion but realised it was futile; there was nothing he could say to help alleviate the suffering.

He exhaled deeply and turned away to lie on his back once more. He rubbed his temples again; the headache had become worse since he'd moved around and it was spreading to his muscles.

"Vincent?" he called out softly, feeling the need to create noise in the stifling room other than the mechanical humming of machinery.

There was a long pause. "Yes?" came the reply from his right.

"Are you all right? I mean do you hurt anywhere?" he asked choosing his words carefully in the fear that something he'd say would hurt or annoy his companion.

"No more usual after a transformation," he responded, his voice sounding quite faint because he still lay with his back facing Cloud. "My muscles ache and I feel sick."

"You don't have a headache then?"

"No." Another pause. "Why?"

"Oh, I do. I was just wondering if you did too," Cloud finished. 

The room stank of chemicals and he placed the throbbing in his head down to the prolonged inhalation of them. The room was small and he'd probably been breathing the same air since he was initially brought there. There was a door with a small, smoked glass panel in it at the foot of Vincent's bed and he seriously considered standing to let some fresh air in. His surroundings were unbearably clinical and sterile from the spotless tiled floor to the cold metallic walls. It made him long for home even more than before.

"Do you think that we're here because of Hojo's experiment?" he questioned eventually as the lights began to hum loudly once more.

"Undoubtedly," Vincent answered flatly.

Cloud cast his mind back to their previous encounter with the insane scientist. "How did he survive? I can still remember you tearing him to pieces. No one could have crawled away from that. It's just not possible."

"Apparently it is."

"Don't tell me you really believe that do you?" Cloud questioned half-rhetorically expecting Vincent to make no move to defend his opinion. He was not disappointed as there was nothing said in return. He sighed irritatedly. He was a man of action, not waiting around to see how things developed. 

With no other options, he idly ran their encounter with Hojo through his mind again and frowned as something came to him. "Who's Janus?"

"What?"

"Who's Janus? Hojo mentioned him and you seemed taken aback. I've never heard of him so I was just wondering who he is," Cloud explained to his companion.

"He was Hojo's assistant when I was their experiment. I suppose that I just thought he was dead after all of this time. Everyone else I once knew is," Vincent replied thoughtfully. He laughed humourlessly to himself. "Hojo's prodigy. I wonder what he looks like now?"

Cloud sniffed and fell silent. There were so many hidden undertones and secrets he knew nothing about. Something deep down told him that they were about to come into the light in all of their terrible glory.

He glanced over at the monitors. They emitted a low drone which was quite subtle but somehow drummed into his very soul. He wished it would stop but he was no scientist; for all he knew, the second he touched the machines he'd die. No, he'd rather wait and see what happened no matter how agonising that would be. It surprised him how little he actually knew about science. He'd always preferred a real sword over the metaphorical sword of knowledge. Life had evolved to its present state over thousands and millions of years. Who was he or anyone else to try and understand that? People like Hojo probably knew more about himself than he did. That was shown in what they had done to him in the past, what they'd done to Vincent. They could never see a person for what they truly were but they could control you and alter you down to every last cell. He couldn't pick up a sword and fight against that. It was something beyond his comprehension and control. It frightened him more than anything else he could think of at that moment.

"Are you... scared?" he asked quietly.

There was the sound of movement in the bed next to him and although he didn't move, he felt Vincent's eyes on him. "Are you?"

He faltered but eventually nodded. "I'm scared for myself... I'm scared for Tifa."

"Don't worry. We'll get out of here," Vincent said softly and Cloud smiled at his cold friend's attempt to console him.

There was shuffling and Vincent turned back to the wall.

As Cloud sank back into his thoughts there was the sound of a door opening and ignoring the shooting pains that ran down his spine, he forced himself to sit up. A man wearing a lab coat walked in with a limp carrying a clipboard. He closed the door gently behind him and smiled at the young warrior. He was quite old Cloud guessed; his hair was a dark grey and his face lightly wrinkled but his eyes were a youthful bright blue. He was fairly tall and lean but it was obvious by watching his movements that unlike the other scientists Cloud had seen before, he wasn't used to spending his entire days stuck behind a desk. He didn't doubt that the scientist could wield a weapon or fight as well as any other man he'd seen walk through the doors of Tifa's bar. He certainly didn't seem to fit in with the young warrior's stereotypical image of a professor or lab helper of any kind. If he hadn't seen the stethoscope and numerous other medical instruments hanging around his person, Cloud wouldn't have thought that the man belonged in the establishment at all. 

He walked over to Cloud with an obvious limp, his hand outstretched and the warm smile still on his thin lips.

"Hello Mr. Strife," he said amicably. "My name is Dr. Janus."

The shock of recognition hitting him, Cloud looked at the hand with disgust and then up at the man's face.

Janus sighed and shrugged but the smile never left his mouth. He glanced over his shoulder at Vincent's bed and then back at Cloud. "I expect that Vincent has been talking to you about me?"

Cloud looked at him suspiciously. "No... All I know is that you were there when Hojo put him through hell. I'm not prepared to shake the hand of any man who has done that to one of my friends."

"Ah, very good. I like a man with loyalties!" Janus exclaimed as Cloud watched him puzzled wondering why he wasn't angry or offended at his refusal. The man was so nice it was disconcerting. Janus limped away from Cloud and stood between the bottom of the two beds. "So then, how are we both feeling?" he enquired pleasantly.

Cloud glanced over at Vincent and began to hold himself back but the pain was starting to become more than an annoyance. "I have a headache," he blurted out. It was becoming too much to bear and he didn't care whether or not the scientist was going to chop him into pieces for it.

"A headache, eh?" Janus repeated as he scribbled something down on his clipboard. After a few seconds he looked up at Cloud and smiled. "I'll see if I can get something sent to you. I'm afraid that Hojo isn't exactly obsessed with comfort. I'll ask one of the lab workers to bring you some painkillers, how does that sound?"

"That sounds... great, thanks," Cloud answered feeling completely overwhelmed.

"That's good. I'll get them to you as soon as I can. Now, I imagine that both of you have one hundred and one questions so, here I am at your disposal if there's anything you want to ask."

Cloud glanced again over at Vincent who had remained unmoving throughout the entire meeting. He began to feel guilty for even talking to the over friendly doctor although it was impossible to do otherwise.

Janus glanced at him and then at the other bed. "Oh, don't worry about Hojo's little pet," he said waving a dismissive hand. "I'm not expecting any kind of welcoming party. He's always been the 'silent and strong type'.

"When I wasn't screaming in agony underneath your scalpel, you mean?" Vincent spat, beginning to move around in his bed. "And I despise being referred to as some _creature_."

"Oh come now. Don't tell me that you still hate me after all this time?" reprimanded Janus putting his hands on his hips and looking at Vincent who still lay with his back to them.

"What may have been almost forty years for you has only been six for me. I can still remember everything and even if I live for an eternity more, I will never, _ever_ forget," came the angry reply.

Janus raised his eyebrows and looked at Cloud who wore a worried look, perhaps in the fear that Vincent would do something he'd later regret. Coughing nervously to dispel some of the tension, he drew Janus's attention back to himself.

"Um... J, Janus?" he stuttered warily. "What the hell is going on? Why or even how are Hojo and Rufus here?"

"Ah, you're straight to the point! Cutting to the chase! Good, I didn't want to muck around with meaningless questions. We can get down to business can't we?" Janus beamed brightly as he sat down casually on the end of Cloud's bed. "Now then... where do I start?" he thought aloud as he tapped the end of his pen against his teeth.

"How about Hojo? He's dead... or at least he's meant to be dead. How can he be here?" Cloud urged and Janus stopped and thought carefully before turning to him.

"Professor Hojo, or at least the one that you have just seen is a clone," he said simply and Cloud's jaw fell open at the single sentence.

"A, A clone? But I didn't know that the technology was that advanced."

"It's surprising what the Shinra worked on that never came to light, isn't it? Anyway, as it is obvious to you, me and anyone else, the real Hojo died at AVALANCHE's hands five years ago in sector eight. I was called in four years ago to recreate him and so I did. I'm quite proud of him. He's very good, isn't he?"

"But when we were talking with him earlier," Cloud protested. "He said that we hadn't killed him as we thought we had. He said that _he_ was the real Hojo."

"Yes," muttered Janus as he frowned seriously. "That is an unfortunate side effect. He does believe that he is the original Hojo." He leant closer to Cloud and lowered his voice to a loud whisper "And I'm not about to tell him otherwise."

He sat up straight once more. "If I did then God knows what he'd do. He might kill himself or something strange like that. Many of the people we have cloned in the past do tend to have that rather disturbing reaction." He shrugged and sighed. "Anyway, according to him, he narrowly escaped death and someone found him and dragged him here to recuperate. He was in a deep coma for the past few years and only woke up a few months ago. He's convinced of that anyway," Janus grinned and Cloud felt sick.

"Did you do the same with Rufus?"

"Oh God no!" exclaimed Janus pulling a horrified face. "He's the one that called me here in the first place."

"But Rufus was killed when Diamond WEAPON attacked, wasn't he?"

Janus shook his head. "He was simply knocked unconscious. It was no mean feat for the rescue teams to find him when they were searching for survivors."

"But he's Rufus Shinra," Cloud stated with a degree of disbelief. "Surely he would've been recognised. Why wasn't it splashed all over the newspapers?"

"I'm not sure myself. I don't like to question the people that pay me," Janus shrugged. "As you've probably seen he's been completely paralysed from the waist down. I've heard him crying out in his sleep before too, but I've never mentioned it." Snapping out of his melancholy tone, he smiled back down at Cloud. "Anything else?"

"Why did Rufus want Hojo brought back to life?"

"Oh dear. You shouldn't use words like that," said Janus gravely. "Hojo has not been 'brought back to life' as you say. Cloning involves taking cell samples from a person and recreating their appearance and personality. He doesn't have the same soul therefore he is not the same Hojo. He is Hojo in looks and intelligence only. The real Hojo is floating somewhere in the lifestream. 

"He made cell samples of every experiment he ever had, himself included. It was easy to uncover his sample and use it to clone him. The chances of the same spirit being used for a clone as inhabited the original body are... well... a billion to one.

"Now, back to your question. Rufus has been badly injured both physically and in his pride. The Shinra Empire took generations of his family to reach the stage it was at when he came to power. Unfortunately it was snatched suddenly from him when he was in his prime. The only thing he has left now are a few contacts and favours that people owe him. That is how he reached me and that is how he formulated his plan."

"What plan?" interjected Cloud.

"The plan to resurrect Sephiroth, of course," Janus answered and Cloud felt a wave of nausea wash over him but he hid it in the fear that Janus would leave if he appeared ill. "I know for a fact that you knew Sephiroth well. Even through his madness and after his 'god stage' he is still known as history's greatest general. Now then, what on earth could Rufus do with the world's greatest military leader?"

Cloud thought for a while and as the truth dawned upon him, his face fell and fear clutched at his heart. "An army... to retake the world. That's what Rufus has planned, isn't it? He's gonna use Sephiroth to re-conquer the Shinra Empire?"

Janus smiled and nodded his head whilst waving a finger at Cloud. "I'm glad that you are so quick to catch on. You have no idea how many times I had to explain that to some of the idiot soldiers Rufus commands." He cleared his throat and regained his composure. "Yes, Cloud. You're correct. Rufus wants his power back. Now, he's not the most patient of men and he's already had to wait four years for Hojo and he isn't prepared to wait another twenty-eight before Sephiroth is ready to order around. Hojo was expendable and the cloning process was rushed which is how we were able to remake him in only four years but Sephiroth, he is something much different. If we wanted him as perfect as he was before then we will have to wait an entire lifetime until he has matured and experienced the same things he had originally."

"Perfect??" repeated Cloud in terror. "He was insane! He killed hundreds and hundreds of innocent people! He tried to take over the godamned world!"

Janus tapped his teeth with the end of his pen once more in thought. "Yes, that was a bit of a set-back but this is why we have Hojo now." He ceased fidgeting and looked back down at Cloud's horrified expression. "Unfortunately as you will have no doubt noticed, they were both a little... what's the word? _Eccentric_ in their lives but we can remedy this."

He stood up and began pacing with a limp backwards and forwards along the space that ran between the two beds. "Hojo is the only person in history who has ever had such advanced knowledge of cloning and genetics. I resurrected him because of this. He is the only one who would have the knowledge to literally 're-program' Sephiroth and make him... well... 'Less mad'." Janus laughed at his own private joke and Cloud watched him in disgust. "Unfortunately because I do not possess such information, it was necessary to bring Hojo back and he would also bring with him the wisdom of how to speed up the cloning process. Because he is alive, we can not only remove many of the negative points from Sephiroth, we can produce him from a test-tube of cells in a week!"

Cloud shook his head. This couldn't be happening. The scientist was talking about resurrecting the insane man who almost destroyed the planet and all life on it. In a week?? This wasn't right... he had to be stopped.

"Because I do not have the knowledge to 're-program people' I could not carry out the process on the Hojo clone. Because of this as you may have seen, he is still very... well, _manic_ in the most _respectable_ way possible. He is a danger and so he has what I suppose you could call a 'built in expiry date'. That is to say, his life will terminate once Sephiroth has been created."

Cloud felt even more stunned. Now this Janus was playing around with people's lives as though they were simple objects and nothing more. "What the hell gives you the right to do something like this?" he exploded. "You've made a life and like some kind of god you've already decided when it's going to die? You're no better than Sephiroth was! He was willing to sacrifice an entire planet to reach godhood; the only difference is that you scientists think you're already there. You have no right, no right at all to play with human life like this!!"

"Now, now Mr. Strife. Try to calm down," soothed Janus although he was visibly disturbed by Cloud's violent outburst.

"Why? Why should I calm down?" he questioned forcefully. "What do me and Vincent have to do with this sick little scheme of yours? Why do you need us in your perverted experiments?"

"If you stop acting like a child then I'll tell you!" Janus snapped and although fuming, Cloud immediately quietened and prepared to listen. "Now then. Sephiroth was only so powerful because he had been injected with Jenova cells. Unfortunately you and the other members of AVALANCHE destroyed her on your way to kill the first Sephiroth. Because of this, her body was destroyed and her soul returned to the planet. Now there are only two sources of Jenova cells left that Hojo and I could use in our experiment." Janus stopped and glanced at the two men. "Yourself and Vincent. Hojo's genius was even able to predict that the both of you would fall into our laps so easily due to the kidnapping of your friend, Reeve Jameson."

Cloud stopped. He knew that _he_ had been injected with the cells of the alien life form but Vincent...?

Janus noticed Cloud's shocked expression and looked over at Vincent with a sly smile. "I see... . " he muttered. "It looks as though you've been keeping some things to yourself, eh Vincent?"

"Janus... ." said Vincent in a threatening manner. "Don't. I'm asking you."

Cloud's brow furrowed with puzzlement. What the hell was going on?

Janus turned back to Cloud and resumed his explanation. "You are both the last carriers of Jenova's cells which is why we needed you. We knew that you Mr. Strife would contain usable cells but we weren't so certain about Hojo's pet here. You see, his many years in the coffin gave the Jenova time to adapt to his body. They were absorbed into him as we predicted they would and so he became something else, something... not quite human."

"Janus!" roared Vincent furiously as he sat up and glared at the scientist. He bowed his head and his long black hair hung over his face like a veil. "Please... ." he pleaded, his tone softening dramatically. "Cloud... doesn't know and I don't want him to. This is my problem and mine alone."

Cloud looked between the two men and watched as some unspoken message was passed between them. Eventually, they both turned away and Vincent lay back down with his back to them and Janus drummed his fingers along his clipboard absently as his thoughts wandered for a moment and he watched Vincent.

With a sigh, he looked back at Cloud and forced a smile.

"I'll make this quick. I imagine that there are many things you will both wish to talk about." He paused and looked over at Vincent who remained impassive and still. He glanced back at Cloud and sat once more on the end of his bed. "Because of this evolution, Vincent's cells are no longer usable for this experiment but you Cloud are perfect as a donor. We will begin a cell transfer as soon as possible but you may be upset to hear that because your body is in the first stages of fully accepting the cells, you will be killed by the process."

Upset? Upset wasn't quite the word! He needed to see Tifa! He wanted to see Tifa and at least say good bye, not die alone and sorrowful in this room... in this butchery. He wouldn't let himself. He couldn't die here; he couldn't leave Tifa....

"The Jenova cells shall be injected into the clone at the early stages and they will multiply as it grows. This means that by the time it has matured to the stage that the original Sephiroth had reached before his death, he will have the exact number of cells in his body as before. He will be an incredible replica, of course without the same soul, and he will lack the same madness that riddled him before. He truly will be perfect and he shall be Rufus's to control." Janus ended and stood up, a proud smile on his face.

Cloud stared at him with undisguised antipathy. The man had walked into the room and justified his ability to create life and death in the space of an hour. How could anyone do anything so obscene? It wasn't right... . It was perverse and needed to be stopped, but how? What could he, a lowly fighter do? He had no knowledge of science, he knew only how to fight and it was futile. A stabbing sensation went through his mind and he clutched his head and cried out in pain.

Janus watched him with concern for a moment before limping towards the door and opening it. "I'll send some painkillers along in a moment. Oh, and by the way. Don't mention to Hojo that he's a clone. I doubt he'll believe you but I can't have him thinking about anything else except Sephiroth at the minute." He grinned and winked before walking out of the door and closing it behind him.

Silence settled in the room in a smothering blanket and Cloud felt himself almost choking on it. A million and one thoughts ran through his mind and he couldn't focus on a single one. There was only one word repeated in his thoughts over and over again; Sephiroth, _Sephiroth_... . But there was something else, something much darker and hidden. He looked over at Vincent; his sombre friend looked as though he hadn't moved since Janus entered.

"Vincent...?" he called hesitantly and softly but without a reaction. "Vincent, speak to me."

"What is it?" Vincent asked wearily with a hint of sorrow in his voice.

"I was hoping that you would be able to tell me," Cloud answered quietly. 

"You really don't want to know... ." Vincent whispered in a barely audible tone. 

Cloud frowned and pulled himself into a sitting position, wincing from the pain but pushing it to the back of his mind in the presence of something much more important and demanding. "I want to know. You're hiding something. I've known it ever since I saw you in the bar, it's been wearing down on you and it's gonna destroy you if you don't talk about it."

"No!" snapped Vincent angrily, sitting up but facing away. "Cloud, you know nothing about it and trust me that when I tell you, you will loathe and despise me for it as I do myself. This isn't something that I can share or even talk about; it disgusts me more than anything you will have ever seen in me and I long to destroy it."

"Let me be the judge of that."

"I... can't risk it." Vincent said sorrowfully. "Please Cloud... don't ask me about it."

"Don't you trust me yet? We travelled together for just under a year and we fought side by side. We helped you when you became ill from your transformations and you helped us when we were injured or on Death's door." Cloud's voice trailed off as he shook his head sadly. "I want to know if there's something you're hiding. You can't deny that even in the worst situations it helps to know that there's someone you can turn to."

"I wish that were so... ." Vincent responded wistfully. 

"Then make it so," Cloud said firmly. "Vincent if you don't want it to, then your secret will go no further than this room but if something is happening to you then tell me. I need to know as a friend that you're gonna be all right."

"I am beyond that."

"Don't put this off. Please Vincent. Don't brood to yourself, you have no sins to atone for and you have no one else to worry about. Let someone else worry about you for a change. If you're not doing it for yourself then do it for me. I won't be able to sleep or forgive myself if something happens to you and I never found out. Don't do that to me... don't do that to yourself." Cloud stopped and sighed as he watched Vincent's shoulders slump wearily.

"I... will tell you," Vincent answered hesitantly. "But... don't hate me for it. I am doing this because you asked me to and I do not want to destroy one of the only friendships that I have ever had in my life. Although I fear that by doing this I will drive you away anyway."

"C'mon Vincent... I'm listening," Cloud urged softly.

Slowly and faltering, Vincent turned until he sat up facing the wall at the foot of his bed. Cloud studied his face for a moment. As far as he could recall, it was the first time he'd ever seen the whole of Vincent's pale visage. He usually kept it hidden beneath the neck of his cape like the rest of his body, shrouded in darkness and mystery. Now with a sense of foreboding and anticipation he waited for Vincent to show himself for the first time.

"I... am... ." the ex-Turk paused and looked down at his hands which he held clasped on his lap. He shook his head, a faint smile on his lips partly through disbelief and surprise at himself. Partly through an odd feeling of relief and peace. He looked up and turned to look at his friend, his blood red eyes glittering with some hidden emotion that Cloud couldn't quite place.

"I'm a vampire." Vincent finished, his eyes lowering until he once more looked down at his hands.

Cloud froze. _Wh, What did he say? V, Vincent? A vampire? This is some joke... a sick joke. That's right... just a joke._

He felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips which spread to a grin. A chuckle escaped from his mouth and eventually he was in hysterics; tears rolled down his face and his head pounded from the headache but he ignored it. All for a second of relief. The laughter felt good, it was as though a huge weight had been lifted from his over-burdened shoulders. Not even the horror of the situation could destroy the moments' peace that he felt as he threw all of his fears from his mind.

"Stop it... ." Vincent said quietly but his plea was ignored. He suddenly turned to Cloud with fury in his eyes. "_Stop _it!" he roared furiously and the laughter died on Cloud's lips.

He paused and looked into Vincent's eyes to see infinite sorrow and pain within the crimson irises. "Please... stop," Vincent repeated softly as he bowed his head and closed his eyes.

Cloud felt his breath catching in his lungs. Any words that he wanted to say choked him and only added to the accumulative effect of the shock as it overpowered him.

"Y, You're... not joking are you?" he whispered.

"Have you ever known me to joke about something like this?" Vincent responded as he once more looked up to meet Cloud's gaze.

"How...?" Cloud choked. "How is this possible."

"I don't understand the science, not completely... . I have spent many years trying to but without avail. I am a nosferatu, a vampyre, a blood-sucker, a _creature_ of the night... whatever you wish to call it I am a demon that survives by harming others." he finished.

"All those jokes... Cid and Barret... ."

"Yes. They may have believed themselves to be making 'humorous' remarks but they were not untrue," Vincent sighed. "Appearances are not always completely deceptive it would seem."

"You're really a... vampire?" Cloud asked in a restrained tone of voice, unable to make the fact sink in.

"The cape..." Vincent answered as he looked back at Cloud. "The neck always hid the bottom half of my face. I wouldn't let anyone near so it wasn't hard to conceal... what I really am."

"You have... fangs?" Cloud questioned hesitantly.

Vincent nodded and slowly drew back his top lip. Cloud gasped and his hand went to his mouth in shock as he saw Vincent's wickedly pointed canines. They were about twice as long as those of a normal person's and they seemed to gleam exaggeratedly in the cold fluorescent light.

Cloud swallowed the bile that he felt rising up the back of his throat and nodded to indicate that he'd seen enough. Vincent closed his mouth, but the fangs still protruded over his bottom lip in such an obvious fashion that Cloud felt shocked he had never noticed them before.

"I'm sorry," Vincent said softly as the stifling silence once more crept into the air.

Cloud shook his head. "It's all right. I'm the one who should be apologising."

"I wasn't expecting you to run over and embrace me for it," Vincent commented dryly and Cloud grinned at him.

"It was just the last thing I was expecting after everything that's happened today. Then again I suppose that with everyone coming back from the dead and plans to resurrect the biggest serial killer that the world's ever known, nothing should've surprised me." Cloud sighed. "I just didn't think that one of the biggest shocks was going to come from one of my friends."

Vincent fell into a guilty silence and Cloud glanced over at him. "Don't worry about it. I won't tell anyone if you don't."

Vincent forced a sad, lopsided smile but it seemed twisted and wrong to Cloud as he knew what lay beneath the pale lips. Unwilling to think about it, he put his hands behind his head and rested them on the headboard of his bed. "So what have you been doin' for the past four years then?" he asked as he stared up at the ceiling. "Something tells me that you haven't just been wandering around without purpose for all of this time."

Vincent sank back down in his own bed and lay on his back to find idle curiosity in the flickering light above his head. "Research. I've been travelling from university to university, from library to library."

"For what?"

"For hope of a cure of some kind," Vincent explained with a slight laugh. "There is only death and that seems unlikely in the face of everything else. I should already be dead, as a matter of fact I often wonder whether I am or not." As he said this he lifted his good arm and looked at the white skin finding a moment's interest in the death-like pallor. Dropping the arm limply by his side he sighed deeply. "I've spent most of my time in the Shinra Mansion library. You weren't entirely wrong in believing that I had gone back to my coffin. I simply spent my time reading and looking... and searching."

Cloud considered the information given to him before turning his head to look at Vincent. His friend lay completely still and for a moment he truly did look dead. Only the slow blinking of his eyes and occasional sigh showed his genuine state. The fangs that had been revealed to him only moments ago sat over his bottom lip easily; they had been thus for a long time hidden so well beneath the scarlet shrouds of Vincent's cape. Cloud felt his stomach twist again partly from the nauseousness inspired from the very thought of what Vincent was and also from the throbbing pains that persisted to creep down his limbs. He turned back to the ceiling.

"So why didn't you ever come to see any of us?" he asked eventually.

"I couldn't. I haven't always been like this," Vincent breathed nostalgically. "From the second you woke me up it has become much worse. At first... the need for... blood," he said falteringly, unwilling to say the very word. "It was nothing worse than a craving. I wouldn't let myself succumb to it but at times it became so strong I had no choice. It was driving me insane. That was when I had finished being Hojo and Janus's little 'pet'. It was one of my many oddities that I discovered after they had finished with me. 

"I awoke from my coffin before you and the rest of AVALANCHE found me and I encountered Hojo who found great amusement in my new form," Vincent paused momentarily as he seemed to remiss about the past. A glazed look flickered over his eyes as he sank into his thoughts, but sighing deeply he pulled himself from them with a fresh and cuttingly bitter tone in his voice. "When you woke me up I immediately noticed how much stronger the craving had become. I won't lie to you... quenching it was one of the first things that went through my mind when I saw you."

Cloud shuddered and Vincent smiled grimly. "I never have though... never. I've always managed to keep the so-called 'Bloodlust' at bay; at least that's what the books call it. But, it developed into something much worse. It became more than a simple craving; it was a necessity."

He stopped and closed his eyes in thought. "My body was dying," he said. "That's what I have gathered from my reading and Hojo's predictions. I should be dead. The Jenova cells and my own body had now fully fused and as Janus said, I became something 'not human'. Because the cells had evolved, I was not affected by the Jenova reunion although at times I did feel a slight calling or a desire to be somewhere. 

"The Jenova cells have a strong sense for survival and realised that I could stay alive if I took the life from other humans." Vincent paused as his story reached a climax. "That's how I was recreated as a vampire. I could hold back what I was easily for the first year that I travelled with you. In fights it was easy to sneak away and... Do what I _had_ to do. However, as things became stagnant and we did nothing more than fly from town to town and help people get their lives together in the year after, I was finding it increasingly difficult. I had no choice but to leave."

Cloud sank into his thoughts. Everything made so much sense now; it was so blindingly obvious he felt as though he could kick himself for it. All of the jokes... the cruel jibes. No wonder Vincent had always reacted so violently to them. He was scared; worried in case anyone found out his dark secret. It was hardly surprising.

"That's why you left a note." Cloud said to finish Vincent's tale. "You didn't want us asking any questions or wanting to know where you were going and why."

Vincent nodded. "I didn't want anyone to find out or get hurt. I couldn't make any guarantees; I still can't that I won't end up hurting someone close to me to satiate the _bloodlust_. It's unbearably strong. I often wonder why I allow myself to let it take over me. I always talk about how meaningless my life is but why don't I just kill myself? I am nothing more than a sick contradiction. I despise myself but yet I continue to sustain my life by harming others."

"Don't say that, Vincent," pleaded Cloud. "Look, you're one of us, one of AVALANCHE and when we thought that something could've happened to you... it was awful." He shook his head sadly. "I told you... we're always here for you. You don't have to force yourself to suffer in silence. I know we haven't gone through any of the things that you have but if you ever need to talk to us then we're here."

Cloud turned his head to face Vincent who remained silent and impassive, however there was a look of slight serenity in his ruby eyes. Cloud smiled to himself, even if he never got out of this place at least he'd made peace with one of his friends.

His head jolted up as there was the sound of the door to the room opening once more. Three men clad in lab coats entered carrying numerous medical objects between them. They immediately made a beeline for Cloud's bed and he looked up at them with puzzlement.

"You're wanting a pain killer?" the first asked simply and Cloud nodded.

"Hold out your arm please," said another as he produced a syringe and small bottle of fluid. 

Cloud did as he was told and held out his arm in preparation for the injection. Before he could react, the last scientist reached forward and grabbed it roughly, forcing it still so that he couldn't move it. 

"This'll just hurt for a second," the second scientist said as he filled the syringe and discarded the bottle, preparing to insert to needle into Cloud's arm.

There was a gasp of alarm from behind the scientists and suddenly one of them fell to the floor with a metal clang. The one holding Cloud's arm turned around in shock and nudged the one holding the syringe, pushing the needle awkwardly and painfully into Cloud's forearm. He cried out in shock as both of the scientists fell to the floor unconscious, one of them with a stream of blood running from the back of his head, staining the tiled floor.

Cloud looked up in alarm to see Vincent standing over them in his trousers, the back of his claw covered in blood. He held out the small bottle to the stunned warrior who took it and read the label in confusion.

"Methohexitone Sodium?" he read aloud in puzzlement stumbling over the long words. "What's wrong?"

Vincent took the bottle from him and smelt it. Wrinkling his nose he dropped it to the ground where the rest of the liquid it contained was sprayed across the floor. "It's an anaesthetic," he explained. "It would seem that Hojo is eager to begin his experiments."

Cloud's eyes widened in shock. "We've gotta get outta here!" he exclaimed as he leapt out of bed but immediately fell to the floor.

Vincent bent down and helped him to stand without avail. He crumpled to the floor weakly and the room began to swim in a sickeningly familiar way. "Oh shit," he breathed dozily. "They managed to get some of it in me."

"Dammit!" cursed Vincent violently.

He tried to help Cloud to stand once more but the sound of the door opening forced him to stop and attempt to defend himself. His top lip curled back in a vicious snarl and the armed soldiers who entered stepped back in alarm.

"Shoot it!" yelled one of them but another held him back.

"If you do that, Hojo'll use _you_ for his next project!"

"Knock him out then!"

Before they could react, Vincent leapt over the end of his bed in a single leap and wrestled the first to the ground with unnatural strength. He drew his claw across the man's throat and his life was end in a gurgle as blood frothed from his lips and he was still. Vincent leap back, the gold tips of the gauntlet dripping red and his fangs exposed in a feral threat. 

Cloud weakly tried to pull himself to his feet but the numbness was spreading. He fell to the floor for the final time and Vincent; momentarily distracted, ran back to help him. Attempting to get some signs of life from his comatose friend, Vincent was unaware of impending danger as the butt of a rifle was smashed into the back of his skull.

Feebly turning to fight, his feet and legs tangled up and he collapsed weakly into oblivion.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"I'm bored."

"Jeez, Reno. Will ya just shut the hell up? You've been saying that over and over again for the past three hours!" Elena exclaimed angrily. "Three hours! Have you any idea how long that is to be stuck with you anywhere??"

Reno looked at her through his eyebrows. "The feeling's mutual."

The female Turk glared at him before putting her hands on her hips and continuing to pace. She'd been walking backwards and forwards across the same few metres for the past few hours but nothing had changed. She felt as though she could do it for a year more and still everything would remain the same. Reno was right; it was deathly dull in the cell and her company didn't help at all.

She stopped for a moment and looked at the people that occupied the prison with her. Reno sat slumped up against the wall opposite the door staring out through the bars continuously as though it would speed up the arrival of someone new. He sat beside Rude who had surfaced from unconsciousness only an hour before but had been his usual non-conversationalist self for all of that time. There was only one other in the room left, Reeve. He'd been overjoyed to see them but as Reno pointed out that his only saviours were now imprisoned with him, his face had fallen and he'd remained silent and gloomy ever since. Sometimes she could kick Reno. Even if Reeve was a little slow at times, at least he would've made some decent company for a while until it sank in.

"Why don't you sit down and rest for a while?" he asked, shattering his silence and looking up at her.

"If I stay still for too long then I'm worried that I'll never be able to get up. I need to keep active for when help comes," she explained.

"Elena, no help is coming," Reno sighed as he looked up at her. "I've been listening to the guards talking and they have Cloud and that Valentine guy. Hojo want's 'em for some experiment of his and they're gonna be under even tighter security than we are. All we can do is think of a plan."

"And have you? Thought of a plan?" Elena asked, an excited tone in her voice.

"Ah, I'm workin' on it." Reno replied as he twirled his ponytail around his finger nonchalantly. 

"No you're not! You're just staring out of that window like... like a... like a useless pile of shit!!" Elena yelled furiously and Reno burst out laughing.

"I'm so glad to see that you haven't changed," said a voice from behind the door and all noise stopped instantly.

Elena felt Goosebumps prickle up her back and a wave of fear ran through her mind. There was the click of a lock and with a nudge; the cell door opened to reveal a man sat in a wheel chair.

"Holy crap," breathed Reno. "You weren't lying Elena."

"Yup... you're all still the same Turks I remember, even if you are softer than before," said Rufus as he scratched his chin thoughtfully. "So come on then. No 'aren't you looking well boss?' or 'it's so nice to see you after all this time, sir's?"

"Y, You... look well... s, sir," Elena stuttered, her legs beginning to go numb.

Rufus sighed and shook his head. "You're a poor liar Elena. I wonder if that has anything to do with all of this time you've been spending in good old Reeves' service, huh? You certainly all fell for the little bomb trick. I was expecting better, really I was."

He shook his head sadly like a father who had been let down by his children. "Have you forgotten everything? Hmm... I bet you can't even remember how to set off a bomb, eh Reno?" he said as he glanced at the flame haired Turk who hung his head, thoughts of terrible guilt and remorse swimming through his mind at the memories of the destruction of Sector Seven at his hands. Rufus turned to Rude. "I bet you've forgotten how to kidnap someone, haven't you?" He finally turned to Elena. "I bet you can't even remember the subtle art of manipulation, can you?" 

He shook his head again. "I'm very disappointed with all of you. I mean look at the state you're all in. Burns... shrapnel injuries. You all behave like the old Turks but your skills have gone to waste. It's a shame. If I'd found you earlier and you weren't running around like lapdogs after Reeve here then I would've asked you to come back. As it was you had already been tamed and I didn't think that any amount of persuasion," he paused and glanced at Reno. "Or money would've made you come back to me. It's a shame when loyalties get thrown to the wind, isn't it?"

"Loyalties?" exploded Reno. "You're talkin' to us about godamned loyalties? When everyone thought this place was gonna fall to pieces, we came up here and searched day and night for your body. We travelled the world looking for Shinra survivors and we gave up an entire year of our life trying to put things back together but it was useless. When we heard that Reeve was gonna rebuild Midgar we came crawling. Our loyalty didn't get us anywhere with you. We never left your side, any of us would've been glad to hand over our lives to save yours but you were always doin' some shady deal or gettin' into something that you needed us to drag you out of. We never got anything out of it except the threat of death hanging over our necks day in, day out. 

"I'm not lying, I enjoyed it. I loved the action and suspense but you were a bastard. You never cared. To you we were just three more employees but you meant the world to us.

"_You're_ getting to _us_ about fucking loyalties? You're screwed up in the head. You set off a bomb to kill us!"

Reno leapt to his feet in the passion and fury of his speech while Rufus watched indifferently, not an emotion crossed his cold face although anger flickered in his eyes.

"You seem to be mistaken Reno. I sent that bomb to do you all a favour. I wanted to see what you were made of, _you_ needed to see what you were made of," he answered firmly.

"You wanted to see that we were made up of blood and guts!" Reno responded angrily. "You sent that bomb down to blow us to pieces and don't try any of your manipulative shit on me. I know all the tricks in the book. You wanted us _dead!_"

A grin spread across Rufus' face and Reno glared at him with disgust. "I must admit, I have underestimated you. You're right... I did send that bomb down to kill you. I sent it down to kill all of you but part of me wanted to see something. I wanted to see if you were still strong, I wanted to see if you were still _worthy_."

"Worthy... of what?" asked Elena hesitantly. She was completely shocked and numbed after seeing her boss who had supposedly been dead for five years and watching Reno scream and yell at him in a way that would've been treason, punishable by death in the past. "What's going on? What did you want to see if we're worthy of?"

"The new Shinra Empire of course," Rufus replied simply as though it was obvious to everyone but her. "I am intending on claiming back the world which is rightfully mine."

Reno shook his head in disbelief. "You're mad. The world's changed. People don't want power like yours any more. They don't want to be ruled over like a dictatorship. They don't want electricity either. Everyone saw how the Lifestream saved the planet and now it's an offence to even consider using Mako for energy."

"Mako? Electricity?" repeated Rufus in shock. "Don't be so stupid. It took the Shinra family generations to take the planet through public service; weapons and energy. I'm not prepared to wait that long."

He sat back in his chair and glanced over the room's occupants. "What good is the world if I can't have it now?" he arched his fingers and looked over the peaks. "I want the world and I want it _now_. I shall get it."

"How?" asked Reeve as he stood up, daring to speak for the first time. "How are you going to do this? People have got freedom for the first time in centuries and they won't give it over to you at the snap of your fingers."

Rufus parted his hands and waved a finger at the dirty, navy-blue suited executive. "You're right, Reeve. Very good, but I'd expect that from someone who used to work for me. I'm not intending on giving them a choice in the matter, it's as simple as that. In fact... no. I _am_ giving them a choice," he paused dramatically as he looked over his audience. "They can either die or they can accept my leadership. An army... _weapons_. That's the key to this. My old man got it right the first time before he went pathetic and turned from war to energy."

"You're gonna use an army to take back the world?" laughed Reno. "Where the hell are you gonna get that from? You can't make it appear out of mid-air!"

"No... perhaps not, but when I destroy this city then people shall be crawling over themselves to join me."

"Destroy the city!" gasped Reeve. "You can't do that! You'll kill millions!"

"Just as my father did before me when he ordered Reno to blow up Sector Seven, you mean? If memory serves me correct, you worked for my old man then."

Reno rubbed his face as though he could wipe away the stains of his guilt while Reeve sighed wearily and shook his head. "I objected to that... I said over and over again that it was a mistake but he didn't listen to me!!"

"Well, you will find your objections as lost on me as they were on him then," Rufus announced coldly and Reeve sank to the floor.

"You know nothing about war, Rufus," said Rude suddenly. "How do you expect to conquer the world?"

"Ah, now this is the clever bit!" grinned Rufus. "I shall have Sephiroth, the world's greatest general to command my army! We will be unstoppable!"

The Turks and Reeve exchanged looks before bursting out laughing and almost falling to the floor. "Y, You're gonna have _Sephiroth_ command your army?" spluttered Reno, trying to breathe through his laughter.

"If you haven't already noticed, Rufus," sniggered Reeve. "He's kinda dead!"

The room elapsed into hysterical laughter again and Rufus' jaw and fists clenched in anger. "I'll show you!" he yelled angrily. "I'll show you all!"

Reno wheezed and attempted to get his breath while Rufus turned and began to wheel himself from the room.

"Uh, Boss?" he called and Rufus turned back to glare at him. Reno grinned and lifted his hand. He flicked up his middle finger and Rufus' face went a furious crimson. "With all due respect sir," Reno said seriously. "Fuck you!"

Reno collapsed into laughter and the others joined him on the floor while the cell door slammed shut and they were left alone.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

__

Where am I? What is this place?

Cloud tried to lift his arms but they were pinned to his sides; either that or he was too weak to lift them. He looked up at the ceiling but saw nothing except darkness; it was so high he couldn't even see it. He slowly rolled his head to his left and saw blackness there too. It felt as though he was in a room without dimensions; it stretched on infinitely in all directions and he felt suddenly exposed and very afraid.

He managed to lift his head slowly and look down upon himself. It seemed as though he was still lying on the same bed he had been before except in a new room. The monitors had gone from his side and pure silence existed in the limitless room. He lay his head back down. He still had a headache; it was still throbbing at the back of his mind but he was thankful that it wasn't any worse. His body was utterly numb and his senses blunted to the point of complete blindness. He felt vulnerable and alone; where were his friends? Where was Vincent?

He rolled his head to right and saw a bright light that blinded him at first. He blinked to clear his vision of the glowing dots that swum before his eyes. He narrowed his lids and made out the shape of a large table with Vincent lying on it, unconscious to the world in a deep sleep. He opened his mouth to cry out and speak with his friend but there were the sounds of approaching footsteps and he fell silent to avoid detection. 

From the shadows emerged two figures like spectres, both wearing white lab coats and carrying a tray of medical instruments each, one of them with an obvious limp.

"Just set them down here," ordered one of them in a cold voice; Hojo.

The other did as he was told and stood beside the cruel professor on the opposite side of the table to Cloud.

"Sir... I don't mean to be disrespectful, but do we really have to do this?" asked the other; Janus. "I mean, do you really want to get side-tracked on past vendettas when you should be concentrating on Sephiroth?"

Hojo picked up a scalpel and turned to Janus quickly, holding the blade up warningly. "Don't order me around, Janus. You're here to learn, not question me," he turned back to Vincent's still form and rolled up his sleeves.

"Now, observe." 

He jabbed the blade in Vincent's chest deeply and Cloud paled. It was dragged down the abdomen until he stopped the cut just below the navel and above the top of Vincent's trousers.

He placed the knife down on the tray and pulled on a pair of surgical gloves. "I wish we had better conditions than this," he muttered irritably glancing around and forcing Cloud to close his eyes quickly. "Heh, heh, heh. It would've been more fitting if I could've finished this in the Shinra Mansion."

Cloud opened an eye and continued to watch the procedure with morbid curiosity.

Hojo plunged his hands into the slit he'd made and with a sickening crack, widened it. Cloud swallowed forcefully feeling as though he was going to vomit but his observations went unnoticed as Janus began to assist in the butchery.

"Pass me the red syringe... uh... try fifty milligrams."

Janus nodded and began toying with several chemicals before passing Hojo a syringe containing a softly glowing red liquid. Hojo parted the deep wound and plunged the needle in, pulling it out again empty seconds later.

"You know that I couldn't have done this before? Before he underwent that vampiric metamorphosis of his anyway," he said absently as though trying to create some noise in the silent room other than the sickening sounds of his surgery. "How is that blood sample we took from him earlier by the way?"

"Oh, er, it displayed the same qualities you predicted it would." Janus reported.

"The immune system?" 

"Yes, it was as volatile as expected. We took several samples and tried mixing it with bacteria and viruses but it completely destroyed anything foreign. We predict that the reaction would be the same with illness and even wounds. His healing rate must be astonishing," Janus answered as he passed a spatula to Hojo's open hand without a word. "As you asked we added other blood samples to it and the effect was quite dramatic."

Janus paused and Hojo looked up at him. "Well?" he asked expectedly with a hint of eagerness.

"Well it assimilated the red corpuscles and absorbed them, taking the oxygen and other nutrients within them out. It was all as you said it would be sir. It eliminated the white cells and platelets but I did not have enough time to analyse how they did this."

"Very good Janus. You've improved since you last worked under me," Hojo commented; a rare compliment from him. "You're still slack and untrustworthy though," he added, his voice suddenly cold and threatening.

Janus' eyes widened momentarily. "Sir?"

"You're keeping something from me, Janus." Hojo said in a low tone but he did not turn from his work. "I _know_ these things."

Dr Daniel Janus paled. "I, I don't know what you're talking about, sir."

Hojo looked at him and pulled his hands from Vincent. They came up stained a dark red all of the way up to the elbows and Cloud retched silently. "Don't even bother trying to fool me Janus," he said with his eyes narrowed. "It degrades me and it degrades you. Now pass me the scissors and watch this. I think you will find it interesting as I shall find it greatly satisfying and amusing."

As Janus passed Hojo the sterile instrument, a wicked grin spread across the scientist's face. "Now then Valentine. I shall finish what I started, won't I? I wish that I could've done this earlier but your body was too weak and time was against us. Now though... Heh, heh, heh! Now it's different!"

Cloud gasped in alarm as Hojo set to work with fiendish vigour. He couldn't see exactly what was happening but Janus' face drained of its blood and his eyes bulged as he watched the gruesome operation. 

"No... ." cried Cloud feebly and the scientists' heads lifted, startled at the unexpected interruption. "Please... leave him alone," he begged weakly.

Hojo glared at Janus who quickly grabbed a syringe and filled it. He moved around the huge table and held Cloud's arm down as he thrust the needle into it.

Cloud winced from the pain but didn't get a chance to object as drowsiness overcame him and his head fell back onto the pillow; his eyes closed and his body going numb.

"Have you dealt with him?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. I shall have to have a word with some of those idiotic lab-helpers. I can't believe that they couldn't do anything as simple as injecting a half-conscious man with an anaesthetic."

"Well, two of them were knocked unconscious and two of them killed."

"That's no excuse."

A pause and a gleeful chuckle.

"Heh, heh, heh! Watch this...!"

A cry of pain...

... And then nothing.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"I don't care what you say, Cid Highwind. I'm going up there."

"Tifa," pleaded Cid desperately. "Look, they've only been gone a few days..."

"A few days too long," Tifa shook her head, tears in her eyes. "I'm not gonna sit around here uselessly while Cloud and Vincent... they could be dead for God's sake!"

Cid reached out and touched Tifa's arm gently. "Look Tifa, I'm sure they're all right. Cloud and Vincent are survivors... if anything I bet they're pulling the Turks out of imprisonment right now. It wouldn't surprise me if the three stooges managed to get themselves caught an' now our guys have had to save their lives."

"Okay Tifa! I'm ready!"

Cid span around to look into the kitchen entrance. Yuffie stood there in her travelling outfit; her white shorts and dark green tank top with the shield on her left arm and the large shuriken, the Conformer in her right hand.

Cid's jaw dropped open and his cigarette fell to the floor. "Don't tell me you've let the brat in on this little kamikaze stunt of yours?"

"Hey! Who're you callin' a brat, old man?" asked Yuffie in an offended tone.

Cid glared at her but Tifa drew his attention back to the main point. "She agreed to help me. I've been talking to her about it for a while and because she's trained like a ninja, she'll be perfect for breaking into rooms and sneaking around."

"As a thief y'mean." mumbled Cid under his breath receiving a glare that he studiously ignored. "Anyway, why the hell didn't you tell me about this?"

"Because you're a cranky old man and she knew you'd try to stop her!" Yuffie piped in. 

Cid flashed her an angry look while Tifa grinned and shook her head. As Cid turned back to her, she swapped it for a frown and pretended to give the young girl a reprimanding stare. With a sigh, she turned back to the old pilot. "She's not entirely wrong Cid. I knew that you'd try to stop me."

"Damn straight!" he exclaimed. "I'm not about to let you go runnin' up to that HQ so you can throw your life away on some spiky headed jerk!"

"I'm not going alone, Cid!" Tifa protested and Cid laughed.

"Oh yeah, sorry! I forgot that you were draggin' Sick-Bag along with you so that she can cower at the first sign of danger!"

"I'm gonna kill you...!" yelled Yuffie furiously but Tifa shushed her with a frowning glance.

"I'm not just taking Yuffie... ." she said and there was a knock on the front doors to the bar.

Cid watched with a puzzled look on his face as the proprietress slid off her barstool and walked to open it. As the doors swung open, a small black and white cat wearing gloves and a red cape, clutching a megaphone was revealed sitting astride a huge white mog.

"Hey there!" it grinned and with a nudge, the mog walked into the bar and Tifa closed the doors behind it.

"You're takin' _Cait_ with you?" Cid yelled, his voice rising to a higher pitch. "Jesus Tifa, what the hell kind of carnival are you tryin' to run? You don't stand a chance!"

Cait's brow furrowed in puzzlement as he glanced over at Yuffie. The young ninja shrugged and grinned while the argument continued to blow out of proportion.

"Cid, you are not going to stop me and that's final!"

"I'm not gonna let you leave this bar with these two, Tifa. If I have to, I'm gonna drag you kickin' and screamin' to your bedroom and I'll lock the door!" 

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Just try me! You're a good friend Tifa and I refuse to watch you walk into certain death."

"You think I can't handle this myself?"

"No I don't!"

"I'll show _you_ how well I can look after myself!" Tifa said angrily as she pulled the Premium Heart on her fist and prepared to defend herself.

"No... I don't think you can Tifa," said Cid, all emotion draining from his voice as a mask of sadness overcame his tired face. "Which is why I'll go with you."

Tifa stopped and looked at him, surprise in on her face and tears welling in her eyes. She suddenly leapt forward and threw her arms around his neck as she kissed him over and over again on his cheek ignoring the scratching sensation of his stubble.

"Thank you Cid! Thank you!" she said tearfully, and bashfully he returned her embrace.

"Ah, no problem, kid. I don't think I could bear to watch you get yourself killed for nothin', especially not for that moron who doesn't know a good thing when it comes up and hits him in the face. Now get off me before I have to use the Venus Gospel to prise you away!" he laughed and she dropped back, with a happy grin.

"I can't tell you how much this means to me," she said softly.

"You don't have to," Cid responded gently. "I know."

She smiled brightly at him and then at her other two friends who had remained quiet throughout the argument.

"Hi Cait."

"Hello Tifa. Um... everythin's alright now?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Everything's fine. Is everyone ready to go?" They all nodded and with a deep breath she looked towards the doors. "It's time for us to leave."

~Lucrecia Marionette~


	6. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass 

by Lucrecia Marionette

__

~Chapter 6~

'Down the Rabbit Hole'

________________________________________________________

Tifa stood defiantly before the HQ entrance, the wind whipping her long ponytail around her knees. She wore her usual fighting outfit that had stayed with her even after the Meteor Crisis. The short black skirt and white crop top allowed her perfect ease of movement when she fought and her right fist wearing the Premium Heart fighting glove clenched by her side. She bit her lip and fought back the tears that threatened to destroy her courage and defiance in a moment of weakness. Cloud was in danger, more than she could possibly know and she had to help him; no turning back or wimping out. She had to do this no matter what anyone said.

"You ready to go in?" asked a gruff but kind voice from her side.

She forced a smile and turned to look at Cid. Like her he also wore the same clothes as he had five years ago; his engineers outfit and lucky bomber jacket with its many pockets that always seemed to contain something useful. He leaned casually on his ornate spear; the Venus Gospel but his jaw muscles were clenched in tension. It was difficult to feel relaxed in the ruins of the once proud building silhouetted by a brilliant sunset in the horizon that stained the sky with gold and blood.

She nodded eventually and glanced back at her two other companions; Yuffie and Cait Sith. Although often known as the kids of the group, they had both matured much and defiance and bravery that matched her own was on their faces.

"We're ready when you are, Tifa," said Cait supportively and Yuffie nodded.

"Let's go in there and kick us some ass!" grinned Cid and with an exchange of amused glances, they followed after the enthusiastic pilot.

They walked quietly into the vast room that had once been the entrance hall. Tifa stared around, her mouth open in horror. Shards of glass and huge chunks of rubble lay all about and crunched loudly underfoot as she moved with attempted stealth. Battered pieces of metal were propped up against the walls with the faded Shinra insignia on them and Cid walked over to one of them and brushed a thick layer of plaster and dust from off it.

"Jesus, this place is in a helluva state," he muttered as he rubbed the fingertips of his leather gloves together and examined the dirt curiously. "It doesn't look like it's been used in decades," he looked over at Cait who was completely transfixed and overwhelmed by the decay of the building that had once been his home. "Hey cat, you sure the Turks were right about Reeve comin' here? It doesn't look like a mouse has come into this place since it was torn to pieces."

"No, it's definitely here," Cait assured him once he had snapped out of his moments' trance. "I mean we saw that sheet of metal bein' used as a bridge over the gap back there. Someone must come here."

"How do we know that Cloud and the others didn't put it there?" asked Yuffie as she hopped off a large chunk of concrete and walked over to the small group.

"The wind would've blown it away if it had stayed there ever since they arrived," Cait explained. "I bet that it's used often as a way of getting backwards and forwards."

Satisfied with his answer, Tifa walked away and over to the elevator doors. She pressed the buttons beside one of them but nothing happened.

"There's no point in doin' that." Cid called. "The power's probably been shut down since Meteor attacked."

Unabated, she moved to the next door and half-heatedly prodded the buttons there. With a shock, she leapt back as there was a mechanical whirring further up the open shaft and the exposed cables began to sway.

Her three friends ran over to her and watched as the elevator lowered down and with a ping, its doors slid open to reveal the cubicle.

"Well I'll be damned," muttered Cid. "What did ya do?"

"I, I don't know. I just pressed the switch and it worked," Tifa replied innocently.

Glancing around at the others and receiving no other information, Cid brushed passed and walked into the lift.

"Are you nuts?" exclaimed Yuffie. "They might cut the ropes or somethin' when we're halfway up! We'll go splat!"

"Ah, don't be such a chicken," laughed Cid. "The rest of you can take the stairs if you want, I'm goin' up the easy way."

Cait glanced at the two women before walking forward and joining Cid who beamed out at them. "Anyone else?" he asked.

Tifa sighed and with a reluctant expression, walked in after them and looked back at Yuffie. "Are you coming?"

"You sure it's safe?" she queried suspiciously.

"Of course it's not safe!" Cid laughed. "Nothin's been safe since we walked over that dumb bridge but are you gonna wait around here all night while we go up and get a piece of the action?"

Yuffie was still for a moment as she seemed to consider the proposition. Eventually and hesitantly, she stepped into the cubicle.

"Hey, can we go now?" questioned Cait impatiently. 

Cid glanced over at Tifa who nodded. "Which floor?" he asked.

"Sixty-one." She responded. "That always seems to be the start of trouble."

Cid pressed the button and they all waited in silent anticipation for what was going to happen next.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Ah good. You're awake. I couldn't have you asleep to miss the pain now, could I?"

Cloud lifted his head up and looked around the room. He was in some kind of laboratory; the same one that Jenova had been kept in when he and the others had first seen her in the Shinra building nearly six nears ago. The crumpled metal dome sat in one corner of the vast room surrounded by old unopened crates and boxes.

He was lying on a bed surrounded by monitors next to a familiar large glass tube in the very centre of the room, a cold light glowing from its bottom that illuminated the rest of the huge chamber. Vague memories sprang to his mind of one of the AVALANCHE members, Red XIII being kept there a specimen when they first found him. 

His arms ached strongly but he felt too weak to massage them to rub away the throbbing. All he could do was lift his head and that was only for a short time before his neck muscles gave away. He relaxed and settled his head back down on the hard operating table that he lay on.

"Pain?" he asked eventually to his unseen tormentor.

"Yes, the pain." A person loomed over him, his cold, rattish features unnervingly recognisable. "The pain of slowly having your life's essence drained from you. I've heard that it's supposed to be agonising," as he said this, a grin spread across his thin face and he stood up straight once more and moved away from the table.

There were the sounds of soft computer blips and bleeps as he programmed random information into it.

"Wh, Where's Vincent?" Cloud asked when it became obvious that Hojo wasn't prepared to continue the conversation.

The scientist span around, the grin still upon his thin lips. "Valentine? Oh, he's probably busy right now."

"Busy...? What have you done to him?"

"Nothing for you to concern yourself over," he paused and looked down at a watch on his wrist. "As a matter of fact, he'll be waking up from his operation soon. You'll probably hear all about it then so I won't spoil the surprise for you."

He sniggered and turned back to his work while Cloud closed his eyes.

Everything had gone wrong; this wasn't meant to happen. Reeve had been kidnapped and it was supposed to be a simple rescue mission. What happened? Why had it all gone wrong? Why did all of these things have to come back to him...?

He sighed sadly. He was stupid to have ever convinced himself that everything was over. The death of Sephiroth had meant nothing. While science and people like Hojo existed, there was always the chance that the nightmare could continue.

He lifted his head up weakly and watched Hojo at work for a few seconds. "You're just a clone, y'know," he said suddenly.

Hojo paused for a brief moment but shrugged it off and continued his work.

"Did you hear me? You're just a clone!" Cloud yelled but it inspired no greater reaction than before. "That means that you're just a copy of someone," he explained as though the scientist didn't know for himself. "You're not the real Hojo. Just an imitation; a bunch of cells that walk and talk like he used to."

"Could you please be quiet?" Hojo muttered irritatedly. "I'm working on something very delicate here and I do not need your senseless prattling distracting me from it."

"So how does it feel... clone?" Cloud persisted with an evil grin that almost matched his captor's. "I may be a failure in your eyes, but at least I'm real. At least I'm not a walking lie like you."

"Shut up!!" Hojo screamed furiously as he turned around quickly, spittle flying from his thin lips. "I do not _care_ what you say, miserable failure but would you have the common courtesy to drivel _quietly_??"

"Oh, I'm sorry," apologised Cloud in a voice that was dripping in sarcasm. "Have I distracted you from your little sadist toy?"

His comment ended in a cry of agony as a powerful force tore through his body and left him a shivering wreck.

"Heh, heh, heh." Hojo sniggered as he walked over to stand beside the operating table. "You will find that I am not as stupid as others believe me to be, Mr. Strife. Now, if you dare to make another sound, I'll tear you to pieces. For this part of the experiment, I no longer need you alive. I am only doing so as part of my revenge for what you did in Sector Eight," he shrugged. "You can call it one of my many negative points, but I cannot walk away from the chance to make someone's life hell if they've wronged me in the past."

"No... ." Cloud spat out. "You can't walk away from the chance to make _anyone's_ life hell, Hojo."

Hojo raised his eyebrows and turned from the table to walk back to the computer panel. "Oh dear, Mr. Strife. You really don't have any manners do you? It seems as though I'm going to have to teach you."

Cloud screamed as he felt his body being torn to pieces once more as Hojo pressed down on the panel and watched him with a sickly satisfied gaze.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"It's so quiet," murmured Tifa as she stepped out of the lift and onto floor sixty-one, amongst the wreckage of the bomb blast.

"Looks as though someone threw one helluva party," Cid quipped and Yuffie glared at him.

Tifa bent down and stood up holding a melted piece of black plastic that was barely recognisable. Cait shuffled up next to her and gently took the object from her hands to examine it. After moments' silence, he sniffed and bowed his head sorrowfully.

"What is it, Cait?" asked Tifa gently.

"These are Rude's glasses," he answered quietly. "He'd never leave them behind... ."

The room fell silent as the dreadful news sank in. Cait was right; Rude was never without his glasses; something terrible must've happened.

"They've been melted," she observed. "They must have been caught in the bomb blast." Cait covered his face with his paws and lay down on Mog's head, weeping softly. "At least they went quickly... ." she added comfortingly as she gave him a pat on the head.

"C'mon Cait," said Yuffie as she walked up behind him. She lifted the small cat up and straightened his lop-sided gold crown. "Let's see if we can do this... for them."

He wiped his nose and nodded forcing a brave smile. "Yeah... I'd like to give these terrorists a punch, eh Mog?" he smiled as he nudged his steed who nodded dumbly. He looked up at his friends and grinned. It was difficult to keep the small cat down for too long.

Cid lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. "It's time we were movin' on," he announced gently. "Do we take the elevator or the stairs." He looked over a doorway with '**_Stairs_**' written boldly on it.

Tifa looked back at Yuffie and Cait who simply shrugged. She sighed and glanced between the two options, finally finishing on the stairs. "We've probably already given away our presence but I'd like to keep them guessing. Let's take the stairs."

She walked over to the doorway followed closely by Cid and then Yuffie and Cait who stayed at the back talking quietly amongst themselves. She pushed open the door with effort and walked into a poorly lit room with two sets of stairs; one up and one down. Casting a last glance behind her, she began to walk upwards and into the unknown in search for Cloud.

They travelled up several floors before they found their route blocked by a dam of rubble and debris. She looked back to Cid who simply shrugged.

"It had to happen sometime," he commented. "Let's just be glad that we got up this far before it did."

The door to the level was pushed open and they were greeted with '66' painted in huge black numbers painted on the wall before them.

"We're on the floor where the big cheeses used to have their meetin's." Cait proclaimed quietly, fearful of disturbing the thick silence that hung solidly in the air threatening to fall upon them like an unseen avalanche if they disturbed it. 

Cid's knuckles went white beneath his gloves as his grip on the staff of his spear increased and he looked around the floor. A large set of doors stood before them with 'Meeting Room' engraved on a brass plate next to them. He looked back to Tifa who seemed uncomfortable in the stillness. He coughed quietly to break the silence and Tifa looked at him. "Do we separate and look around or move up to the next level?"

She sighed. Why did the decisions go to her and who made her the leader? This was Cloud's job, not hers. She wasn't designed for ordering people around so why did they turn to her for guidance? She was as clueless as they were; it was only luck that had kept them safe up to that point. She ran her fingers through her hair in thought; eventually turning to them as they waited with expectant looks on their faces.

She wanted to yell at them; tell them to do what the hell they wanted. She didn't want the responsibility of being in charge. It was one thing to think of an idea but it was another to be in control.

"Um... I guess we should take a look around," she answered after a while. "I don't want to use the elevator in case it gives us away and we can't use the stairs. If we explore this level then we might find another way up."

They all nodded; it made sense even if they didn't want it to. Yuffie looked at Cait. "C'mon Cait. You come with me. You've gotta be crazy if you think I'm walkin' around here on my own!"

The pair walked away together, chatting and laughing so loud, Tifa cringed. If there were any guards further up unaware of them then they would be soon.

"Looks like it's me an' you then," said Cid. "Shall we go the other way round and meet them up on the other side of the floor?"

"Yeah... okay." She replied absently as she walked up to the meeting room doorway. She examined the doors before turning back to him, glancing over her shoulder. "We may as well look in all the rooms. The executive's might've had a secret passage or something built in here... y'know, just in case they needed to escape quickly."

He shrugged at the logic. "I'll wait here for you," he said as he leant up against the wall and lit another cigarette, discarding the old one disrespectfully on the dusty red carpet.

Tifa felt around the centre of the doors before she felt the handles beneath her fingertips. She pushed down on them, expecting them to be as rusty as all of the other doors, but she almost fell forward as they opened silently on well oiled hinges. Straightening herself up, she walked into the black room.

She took a few cautious steps and paused; there was a strange sound emanating from somewhere close to her. She glanced back at Cid but he appeared a million miles away and out of reach. It seemed pointless calling to him or leaving the room after only a few seconds. No, she wasn't that weak; if there was a noise or something in there then she would find it, she was determined to.

She held her breath and felt a shiver run up her spine as her ears adjusted to the quietness that existed in chamber. There _was_ a noise and terrifyingly enough, it sounded like breathing. She clenched her fists to prevent fear from taking over. It was deep and even; whatever was in there with her was asleep and by shouting out, she'd only wake it up. 

Taking a few more steps forward, she walked straight into a table and almost cried out from the pain. Stifling it, she planted her hands on the tabletop and began to use it as a guide around the room, leaning on it so that she wouldn't fall or trip if she walked into anything more. 

About halfway around the long side of the table, she started as her hands brushed against something unfamiliar. Reprimanding herself and repeatedly saying that it was nothing more than a piece of debris, she reached out a wary hand to touch it once more. She gasped and leapt back; whatever it was, it was warm.

"Cid!" she hissed overcome by alarm. "Cid!"

The pilot leapt up and ran over to the doorway where he could faintly make out Tifa's outline in the darkness. "What is it?" he asked in a loud whisper.

"Th, There's something in here! On the table!" she answered frantically.

His eyes widened and he felt up the inside of the doorway until his fingers met a knob. Pressing on it, there was an explosion of radiance and the room was illuminated brightly by an elegant light in the roof. Tifa fell back and shielded her eyes from the brightness and Cid was forced to look away for a moment.

As her eyes once more came into focus, she looked down at the table and inhaled sharply. "Oh my God Cid. It, It's Chaos... it's Vincent!"

The massive black demon lay upon the table, taking up the full length of the twelve-foot long slab of marble. It's gargoylic-cattish face seemed oddly peaceful as it slept; its massive muscled chest rising and falling rhythmically with every breath. Its huge arms lay straight by its sides and its legs were held stiffly together, pointing away from the door that Tifa and Cid had entered through. The enormous bat-like wings with their black spokes and crimson membranes filled the rest of the space on the table and Tifa realised with certainty that she had touched one of them when feeling her way around the large slab.

"It's good to know that Vincent's all right," sighed Cid as he scratched the back of his head. "I crapped myself when I saw it, hell I'd forgotten what he looked like when he transformed."

"I've never seen it like this before," murmured Tifa as she walked over to the table and looked down on its gargoyle-like face.

"Nah... neither have I. He probably just got tired or something stupid like that," he smirked jovially. "I'll go an' get Fur-ball and the Thief if you wanna wake it up."

She nodded absently, only half listening to what the pilot said.

"Rather you than me... ." Cid muttered as he began to walk out. "Tell him to change back too. We're gonna be a lot more obvious with that thing following around us if he doesn't."

He laughed at his joke and left the room leaving Tifa with the sleeping Chaos.

__

Okay then... how the hell am I supposed to wake a demon, a bad tempered one at that... ? Hmm... .

She tentatively reached out and prodded the spiked shoulder without any reaction. Frowning, she leant over the table and looked into its face. To her shock one of the eyes twitched as she breathed upon it and she quickly jumped back. The breathing once more became even and with an irritated frown, she leant back over its face and dared to blow purposefully on the eyes. It wasn't conventional; in the bar a bucket of cold water normally worked but as the demon began to growl and shuffle on its bed, she stepped back and watched with slight satisfaction as it surfaced.

He opened his eyes and immediately squinted from the invading artificial light that was burning into his mind. He closed them again in a vain attempt to go back to sleep. He felt weary and heavy; he longed for his bed at home where it was secluded and dark. He wanted this nightmare to end.

Tifa put her hands on her hips and walked over to the table again to look down into the demon's face.

"C'mon. I know you're awake so stop trying to hide it," she scolded playfully. "If you don't come around right now then I really _will_ have to get a bucket of cold water."

__

Tifa? What's Tifa doing here? Was everything a dream? Yes... that must be it... I've probably fallen asleep at the bar after running around after Yuffie all week. How embarrassing. If Cid's around I'm going to have to think of an excuse. Maybe I could offer **him** the chance of babysitting...?

He opened his eyes again and the bright light came as less of a shock. He moaned wearily and closed them once more as he rubbed his temples with his fingertips. He had a terrible headache and prayed that he didn't have a hangover. _That truly would be something to get embarrassed about... ._

Dropping his arms weakly by his sides he looked up again at the ceiling but Tifa loomed over him and looked into his eyes. 

"Can you hear me, Vincent?" she asked warily.

__

Of course I can hear you. I'm not deaf... .

"Umm... Chaos? I don't mean to be rude but would you mind turning back into Vincent?"

__

Chaos...?

"Please don't get mad at me but we're in the middle of a mission right now and it would probably be easier if you were... _Vincent_," she finished awkwardly, unable to think of the correct phrasing.

__

What is she talking about? 

He frowned at her and she was momentarily taken aback by the strangely human expression.

"Vincent, er, Chaos?" she stuttered and he narrowed his eyes.

__

Is this some kind of joke? If it is, I'm not amused. He opened his mouth and began to speak but to his horror, the words came out as nothing more than meaningless snarls and growls. Tifa's eyes widened in alarm and she stumbled back as he quickly put his hand over his mouth, unwilling to hear any more.

"L, Look.. I'm r, really sorry," she stuttered. "I, I didn't want to wake you up but w, we really need Vincent here now."

__

What's happened? Wh, What's going on? Vincent cried mentally in utter shock. Something wasn't right. Why couldn't he speak? Why was Tifa calling him Chaos?

He sat up suddenly and cried out in distress, the noise coming out as a pained roar and Tifa sank to the floor even more terrified as the demon's shadow fell over her. 

He looked down at his hands, only they weren't _his_ hands. They were huge and black with dagger-like claws on the tips. This wasn't his body... he wasn't black, he wasn't this tall. He looked to his shoulders and the source of his agony. Two massive wings protruded from them and as he sat up they were bent awkwardly. Something had gone horribly, horribly wrong...

Tifa was sat huddled up in a corner of the room, whimpering softly to herself in fear. But he wasn't going to hurt her! He had to let her know that this was him... !

He attempted calling her name but she suddenly leapt up and began creeping around the room in slow, petrified movements as he snarled. He hadn't meant to frighten her... it wasn't his fault… !

She trembled violently. Where were Cid and the others? The demon was watching her now as she slowly made her way around the room, her back to the wall, her eyes never leaving its face. It saw her escaping so why didn't it move? It snarled viscously again and her pulse raced. Maybe it was just warning her... maybe it did recognise her after all and was simply scaring her away. Vincent would never let the demon harm her, would he? Why was he Chaos? Why hadn't he changed back? Maybe he wasn't in control after all... maybe it really was going to kill her... .

The door was only a few metres away and she dared a glance at it. She could make it, she was sure. If she could just sprint... . 

She pushed herself off from the wall and ran but she tripped over a toppled chair and skidded across the carpet, crashing to the floor and rolling herself up into a ball, preparing to face death at the claws of Chaos.

It never came.

__

T, Tifa? Tifa! Please don't run! I, I won't hurt you! It's me! Vincent! Oh God.. please don't leave me here!

He watched as she began to run but fell. She dived across the floor and remained there, trembling in fright. Was she afraid of him? _Of course she is... I'm afraid of myself._

He moved slowly and hesitantly, swinging his legs around until he sat with his feet pointing towards the door. He cautiously slid forward until his toes touched the carpet and then attempted to stand. He immediately fell to the floor with a loud thump and stayed frozen on his hands and knees, his head hung sorrowfully between his shoulders.

__

This is too much... this is far too much. Hojo... this is your doing. Only you would do something like this. Is this what you've always had planned for me? This... this monster?! This hideous demon? Is this how you always saw me? Like this... .

He let out a shuddering sigh and clenched his fists whilst closing his eyes tightly.

__

Oh God... you wanted to destroy me. You truly hated me this much? You've won Hojo. You've finally won... . I can't speak, I can't move... I can't even bear to look at myself. I terrify those closest to me... she doesn't even recognise me. I don't recognise myself.... .

He sobbed and put his hands to his face.

Tifa looked up at the odd sound. Why hadn't the demon killed her? Was it playing with her; having its last piece of sick fun before tearing her to pieces? Well, she wasn't about to go easily. She leapt up and jumped into a battle stance. She was going to give the SOB something to remember her by even if it didn't know her now.

She stopped and dropped her arms; Chaos crouched before her, its head in its hands weeping quietly. All barriers and fears collapsed as she moved forward and knelt down beside it. She reached out and touched it gently on the arm. At the caress, Chaos's head jerked up and looked around in fear for a brief moment before its gaze settled on Tifa's face.

She gasped and put her hand to her mouth. The eyes... they weren't right. Chaos's eyes glowed red; there was never any whites or pupils, just the pure glowing red of hatred. These eyes were different. They were human eyes; at that point more human than any others she'd ever looked into. The crimson irises glittered with a sorrow of a life filled with suffering and pain that had gone on for far too long; each burning with a blood red flame that was threatening to extinguish in the overwhelming presence of defeat.

Silver tinted tear steaks ran down the hollow cheeks of the creature and she brushed them away with her hands as she moved them up to feel its face, tears welling up in her own burgundy eyes.

"Oh God Vincent..." she wept softly. "What have they done to you?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her back, silver tears once more flowing from his closed almond eyes.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Cid walked around the corner and blindly into the room, Yuffie and Cait following him closely behind. As his stare fell upon the embraced figures before him, he stopped and his cigarette fell from his mouth in shock.

"Holy shit." he swore quietly and as he stood in stunned silence, Yuffie walked into his back and almost succeeded in knocking him over.

"Hey! Watch where you're stopping, old man!" she exclaimed angrily.

She prepared to hurl more abuse but the words caught in her throat as her own eyes focused on Tifa and the demon. "Whoa! Have I missed somethin' here??"

"Godamnit Tifa," Cid exclaimed. "I asked you to wake it up, not hug it!"

Tifa wiped her eyes and stood up, her eyes level with the demon's even though it remained sat on the floor. She glanced back at him and flashed a sad smile before turning to the others.

"It's Vincent..." she said softly. "H, He can't change back. Don't tell me how... I'm not sure if I understand it myself but he's stuck."

"S, Stuck?" repeated Yuffie in shock. "What? Y'mean he's gonna be like that... forever?"

Vincent turned and looked at her, his eyes narrowed but his face blank.

Yuffie gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh, jeez. I, I'm sorry Vinny. I never meant to say it like that," she mumbled, her voice muffled beneath her arm shield.

__

I hate being called Vinny. I've told them all that a thousand times he thought to himself irritably, not even attempting to speak in fear of scaring them away.

"Um... did you find anything then?" Tifa asked eventually while an awkward silence set in as Cid, Yuffie and Cait began to look around the room in an attempt to find something distracting to prevent themselves from staring at the huge black demon before them.

"No, we didn't," Cait replied. "Looks like we need to take the elevator."

Cid became thoughtful as Tifa pulled a face at the suggestion. "Y'know we don't _have_ to." he said to the puzzlement of his friends. He nodded over at Vincent. "I bet that he could get rid of alla that rubble blockin' our path up the stairs."

All heads turned to Vincent who looked back at them with a frown. _I can't even walk yet. How do they expect me to clear debris out of the way?_

As if sensing his hesitation, Tifa looked at Cid who seemed delighted with his quick thinking. "I think that we could all use a break right now. It's not fair to start handing out tasks when Vincent is only just getting used to things."

Cid shrugged. "Yeah, sure. I am kinda tired."

Yuffie smiled happily before leaving the room and sitting down with her back leant up against the wall containing the elevators. She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes in a blissful moment of relaxation. Cait moved over and the Mog sat down next to her while he pulled out a pack of cards from beneath his cape and began playing a card game with himself. Tifa smiled at Cid who returned it and left the room lighting another cigarette.

"I'm not gonna have any left by the end of today if I keep on dropping the damn things." he muttered angrily to himself as he strolled past Cait.

Tifa turned to Vincent when they were alone. "D'you need a hand or can you manage?"

__

I'm not sure there's anything you can do... . He shook his head sorrowfully.

She picked up a plush chair from off the floor and wheeled it over to the head of the table. Brushing the cushion down, she slumped down in it and rested her feet on the table.

She giggled to herself. "I feel like President Shinra!"

Vincent's eyes widened at the mention of the Shinra family. As he began to trudge through blurred images of his time in the ruined HQ, distant memories of Rufus Shinra and his insane plan to conquer the world became stark and all too clear in his mind. He glanced over at Tifa and longed for a way of warning her of the upcoming trials that faced her. She wasn't even sure if Cloud was all right. Although she hadn't even asked if her childhood friend was safe, the worry was written on her face as clearly as his claws gleamed before his eyes as he lifted them up before him.

They were terrible. Huge, clawed, black hands covered in the same deep black skin that covered the rest of him. It made him physically ill to even look at the rough texture. He could barely feel anything through the thick hide; he was only aware of an object's presence if pressure was put on it.

He felt his face and made out the vague shape. Although part of him wished for a mirror, he knew that he'd probably vomit if he saw his reflection. He had no idea what he looked like as the demon, he'd never remained still enough to look in a mirror or take a photograph. As Chaos, Hojo's creation of destruction, he never thought of anything else except killing or harming others, only vaguely aware of his allies and his foes. It certainly was a unique experience to fully command the body himself.

He placed one of the massive hands on the edge of the table he'd been lying upon. Warily and slowly, he moved one of his kneeling legs from under him and placed it sole down on the carpeted floor. Putting pressure on the hand, he cautiously pushed himself to his feet, bent double as he continued to lean on the marble tabletop. He first removed one hand and steadied himself before daring to stand without support. Stumbling backwards, he slammed against the wall and roared from the pain as his wings were crushed.

Tifa's eyebrows raised in startlement but she said nothing and bit her lip as she watched Vincent's efforts. He snarled, muttering bestial curses to himself and he bared his fangs in a worrying fashion before trying once more from a precarious standing position. He pushed off from the wall and held his arms out to keep his balance. He succeeded in remaining stood without help for a few seconds before falling sideways into the doorframe.

Yuffie's eyes opened and Cait's head jerked up as the bang echoed around the vacant floor; they both said nothing, exchanging odd glances before returning to their rest.

Vincent sighed wearily. He was twice the height as he normally was and the wings on his back weighed an incredible amount; he was literally forcing himself to do the simplest tasks again. _Curse you Hojo. When I get my hands on you, I'm going to make you pay for this._

He growled and determinedly pushed off from the wall again. Although taking a few faltering steps backwards, he managed to stay upright and he gave a dour smile of satisfaction as he dared to walk and succeeded.

Tifa beamed proudly at him from her vantagepoint on the other side of the room. "Well done," she said warmly and he looked at her from the corner of his eye to say that he wasn't appreciative of the praise.

She nodded understandingly and stayed quiet as he continued to practise. 

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Cid returned to see Vincent pacing backwards and forwards in the long room in a manner that was eerily familiar.

"We ready to go now?" he asked once over the initial déjà vu and everyone looked up at him and nodded.

Cait and Yuffie jumped to their feet while Tifa and Vincent walked over to the doorway.

Cid strained his neck and took a few steps backwards until he could look up at Vincent' s face; the demon looked back, watching him with slight amusement seen only in his eyes and not reflected on his impassive face.

"Well this is gonna be fun," the pilot grinned and Tifa rolled her eyes.

"I just want this over and done with as quickly as possible," she said emotionlessly. 

"I want to find Cloud... we have to get him out of here and I want to nail the bastard's who've taken him and done this to Vincent." she glanced up at the demon who seemed lost in his own thoughts. "Let's go," she said with a forced smile and everyone nodded grimly in return.

They walked silently over to the stairs and Vincent was forced to crouch as low as possible and twist himself sideways before he was able to enter through the doorway. As he glanced up and saw the blockage that had prevented them from moving any further up he pulled a face.

"You think you can get through?" asked Cid as he glanced up at the demon.

Vincent shrugged and walked forward, forced to stoop as the ceiling became gradually lower. He examined the chunks of rubble carefully before testily pushing against one of them. There was an ominous creaking and he looked back at the others questioningly.

"Is it worth it?" Tifa asked everyone. "I mean, it looks like he can move it but it'll be with a huge bang and it'll bring every terrorist in this damned building onto our heads."

"Ah, what the hell," shrugged Cait with a childlike grin. "Bring 'em on!"

Cid nodded approvingly. "Now that's my kind of thinkin'!"

"I'm getting outta here if you're all seriously considering bringing the roof in on our heads," Yuffie muttered as she stepped back out of the doorway and into the floor.

Vincent clumsily arranged his wings with obvious difficulty until they were folded around his sides. Receiving a gesture from Tifa, he planted his back against the wall of debris and closed his eyes in concentration. He pushed as hard as he could against the dam and gritted his teeth from effort, the muscles stood out on his legs and a strained growl passed his black lips as streams of dust and plaster began to filter from fractures on the blockade.

Tifa watched with bated breath as cracks began to appear, snaking up from the bottom of the debris dam and widening as Vincent persisted to press up against it. The breath was exhaled seconds later though as a rumbling began to echo around the room with frightening nearness. 

She felt a rough hand grab her arm and begin to pull her back as the deep noise reached a crescendo. As she watched, the dam suddenly exploded in a waterfall of rubble and dust that clouded her vision and choked her lungs. Cid yanked her back strongly from the approaching torrent and as it rushed towards her, she found herself suddenly sprawled messily on the carpeted floor of the space outside the door. Dust poured out like a viscous liquid from the doorway and as silence settled upon the room there was the sound of an occasional pebble and sheet of battered metal falling into place. She stood up and brushed herself down; her black skirt was almost white from plaster dust and her hair had gone grey from the dirt.

She heard the sound of coughing and Yuffie stumbled to her feet close by helped by Cid. Cait clambered on top of Mog and dusted himself with the same vanity and commitment of a real cat. As the dust settled, she walked back into the stairway to see Vincent picking himself up out of a pile of debris.

"Are you all right Vincent?" she asked concernedly as she helped feebly to push large pieces of concrete from him. 

He nodded and coughed violently, the white dust tickling his lungs. He stood up and looked down at himself uncaringly, his black skin dyed grey like Tifa's skirt. He turned up to the newly revealed set of stairs and looked back to the others who had entered the room that now looked as though a war had taken place inside it.

"Ready?"

Everyone nodded and Tifa led them forward and up the stairs to floor sixty-seven where she paused and struggled to recall what the level contained.

"I'm not sure... but I think that this is where the cells are," she announced hesitantly and Vincent nodded beside her. He knew the entire building off by heart; it was difficult not when he'd spent a year as a Turk constantly patrolling the corridors and rooms.

Receiving the confirmation, Tifa pulled her fighting glove on tightly and sighed deeply. "This is it," she said quietly. "If Cloud is anywhere... he's here. Good luck guys."

"Last one back to the bar has to buy the drinks!" Cid grinned and the others smiled.

"Let's go."

She pushed open the door tentatively and it swung open to reveal a narrow, dark corridor. She looked back at her companions who urged her on, and she stepped out into the unfamiliar world. There was an unbearably strong stench of chemicals and her head went dizzy for a moment until she became immune to the fumes. With a wave of her hand, she walked onwards and the others followed closely on silent feet.

It wasn't long before they reached a fork in the path. Voices emanated from her right, carrying along the still air like ghosts and she shivered at the thought. Straight ahead of her it was dark and uninviting; at least if she went right then there'd be other people.

She turned right and began to walk but there was a heavy hand on her shoulder and she stopped. She turned around and looked upwards to see Vincent looking at her, grim determination set in his glittering red eyes.

"What is it?" she asked softly.

He looked towards the other route and then back at her. _Cloud's down there. I know he his. I can smell the chemicals... I can smell Hojo. Wherever that bastard is, he's sure to have Cloud on a tight leash behind him. Come with me; let the others try this way._

She followed his gaze and looked to the foreboding path. "Is there something down there?" her voice lowered. "I, Is Cloud down there?"

Vincent nodded solemnly and firm resolution set in her burgundy eyes. Vincent stepped awkwardly to one side as Tifa looked at Cid, Yuffie and Cait. "Me and Vincent are going down the other way. You three carry on along here."

"But-"

"No buts." She said firmly. "Just promise me that none of you will get yourselves killed."

"Tifa-" began Cid but she cut him off again.

"Promise me," she repeated, tears forming in her eyes. "I can't lose any more of you. I won't let it happen. Don't die on me, okay?"

They all nodded reluctantly and she stood beside Vincent as they walked past, casting her sad glances before they continued their mission. Once they were gone, she looked up at the face of the massive black demon.

"You're sure he's down here?"

__

I'm positive. He nodded.

"As long as you're sure... I'll trust you," she whispered and she led him into the shadows to find Cloud.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"So what do you two think about alla this?" Cid asked conversationally as he led the group of three along the sickeningly twisting corridor that seemed to stretch on forever.

"Alla what?"

"Well, I dunno. I'm just tryin' to make some noise here. Uh... Whadaya think about Cloud bein' kidnapped?" he questioned.

"It's a bad thing," stated Yuffie with a serious nod.

"Yeah, definitely a bad thing," agreed Cait.

Cid stopped and turned around to face them. "Y'know, you two never shut the hell up when you need to but as soon as I try to be friendly then you freeze up like a coupla kids during panto time at yer school," he shook his head.

"Well... that's because you're an old man and you only talk about things like the price of tea and stuff like that." Yuffie grinned fiendishly.

"Hey! I don't!" objected Cid loudly. "That's only _some_ of the time!"

He grinned back and Cait laughed while Yuffie continued to smile happily.

"Alright then," began the pilot seriously. "Keep yer mouths shut, we're gettin' close now."

With a wave of his hand, they moved forward gripping their weapons tightly in anticipation of the upcoming fight. With shallow breaths and adrenaline surging through their veins they crept along the narrow corridor in the shadows fearful of detection. Eventually Cid stopped and pressed his ear up against a doorway at the end of their journey. Listening carefully he heard the sounds of voices arguing about something muffled in the thick metal door. 

Glancing back at the others he gave a slight nod and they prepared to throw themselves into the battle. He slipped his hand onto the door handle and gently pressed down on it. When the door was open, he put his foot onto it and with a loud battle cry, he kicked forward and slammed the door wide open leaping into the expected fray. Yuffie and Cait jumped in after him to flank his sides and their eyes widened in shock as they looked at their supposed fierce enemies. 

The soldiers stood frozen in the middle of the room attempting to dress themselves without much success. Cait suddenly gasped as a broad grin spread across his cattish features. He leapt off Mog and threw himself onto the legs of the nearest enemy, tackling him accidentally and throwing him to the floor.

"Ah! Cait! Get offa me, will ya??" exclaimed a shocked voice from under the soldier's helmet.

"Oh I'm so happy to see you!" the ecstatic black and white cat said tearfully. "I thought you were dead!"

Cid and Yuffie exchanged puzzled looks and as they silently asked what was going on, the three remaining soldiers removed their helmets.

"You took your time, didn't you?" asked a flame haired man with bright sea-green eyes in an irritated voice.

"Quit moaning Reno," sighed Elena trying in vain to straighten out her hair which had become ruffled under the sweaty helmet. "Just be glad that we don't have to wear these stinking uniforms to get outta here."

Cid grinned and shook his head. "It's taken you all five days to get this far?" he laughed as the three Turks swapped puzzled looks.

"Five _days_?" repeated Reno with obvious surprise. "Is that how long we've been in this dive?"

"Didn't you know?"

"Of course we didn't. We were knocked out by a bomb blast and recovered a few hours ago before Rufus came and gave us some loony lecture on how he's gonna take over the world," Reno explained with a frown.

"Rufus??" gasped Yuffie. "You musta been hit on the head harder than you thought."

"It's true," confirmed the usually rigid Rude, burn marks scarring his face to match the right side of Reno. "He somehow survived Diamond WEAPON's attack and has developed an insane plan to get back the Shinra Empire."

Cid pulled a bemused face. "Rufus? Rufus _Shinra_?" They nodded. "Damn, this is gettin' too complicated."

"He's brought back Hojo too from what we've heard," added Elena as she pulled off the uniform jacket. "They're intending on bringing back Sephiroth with the help of some other deranged scientist called Janus or something like that."

"Janus," repeated Yuffie thoughtfully. "He was mentioned in one of the books I read at Vincent's apartment." She looked up at Cid. "Oh Gawd. I bet he's the one that's changed Vincent along with Hojo!"

Cid slumped down onto the floor, trying to come to terms with all of the information presented to him. "Hojo and Rufus... . Man, this is weirder than the Twilight Zone," he mumbled.

Cait was thrown across the room suddenly and he landed lightly on his four paws looking slightly dazed. "I'm glad to see you too Cait, but you were cutting off the blood supply to my feet," muttered a muffled voice lying on the floor to one side of the room. Yuffie watched with a grin as Reeve pulled his helmet and gasped for fresh air; his normally neat black gelled hair hanging over his face and his cheeks flushed pink.

"You don't look too good Reeve," she commented and he looked up at her with an eyebrow arched.

"If you guys hadn't taken so long getting here then I'd probably be in a better state," he responded irritably but there was a hint of relief in his voice. He flashed Yuffie a smile. "How come it took you so long, anyway?"

She walked over to him and helped pull him to his feet. "Well the Jerks here-"

"Hey! I object to that!" said Elena in an offended tone but was ignored.

"They came along and asked Cloud to bring someone here to haul your butt out. Thing is, five days passed and they never came back so Tifa decided that we should come along and save the day," she finished brightly.

Reeve frowned and looked around the room. "Where _is_ Tifa?"

Cid suddenly leapt to his feet. "Oh crap, she's probably walkin' in a trap right now!"

Before anyone could stop him, he sprinted out of the room brandishing the Venus Gospel and leaving nothing but a trail of cigarette smoke and the echoes of his latest curse.

Yuffie glanced around and quickly followed after him leaving the others to consider what had just happened.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"I'm scared." Tifa breathed as she walked blindly into the darkness.

__

Don't be... I won't let anything come near you. Vincent put a comforting hand on her shoulder and she placed her own on top of it as if to reassure herself of its presence.

They walked quietly through the barely visible black tunnel; Tifa's boots making soft thumps as she stepped and Vincent following on cat-like feet with an almost silent padding. She held her breath in fear of detection and even her heartbeat that rang loudly in her ears sounded far too loud.

Just as she was beginning to feel as though her blind and torturous journey would never end, she caught sight of a faint light up ahead obscured fully from view by stacked crates and boxes. Creeping silently, her senses heightened by the thrill and fear of the fight, she ducked behind the crates and dared to peer out into the room beyond. It seemed as though anything that was happening occurred on the other side of the large chamber. She looked up at Vincent who was crouched as low as he could still towering above her smaller frame; his face contorted with concentration.

"Can you see anything?" she whispered and he shook his head.

He could see nothing but Hojo was unmistakably there; his sterile scent covered every dust-layered surface and the very set-up reeked of his sadistic touch. As he continued to stare out into the room his predatorial vision caught sight of a brief shadow flitting across the wall furthest from them. He narrowed his eyes and to Tifa's sudden alarm, emitted a low growl from the back of his throat.

"V, Vincent?" she gasped fearfully.

He stopped and looked back down at her apologetically. _I saw something... ._

"Is there something there?" she asked softly and he nodded. "Is it Cloud?"

He shrugged; a slight shadow wasn't enough to tell him who it was; for all he knew it could have been Rufus but part of him begged it to be Hojo. Then Tifa could see what was happening; then she could understand who was behind all of this.

He stood up straight and looked patiently at her. She eventually stood and sighed nervously flexing and clenching her fingers. "Okay then... I'm ready," she said and they walked into the room side by side; the demon and the beautiful young woman who simply wanted to go home.

As they passed the large glass specimen container there was a blue blur before them and Tifa leapt in surprise as gunshots went off. Vincent stumbled back in a moment of pain but righted himself and growling menacingly, looked down on the soldier who had dared to fire upon him. The man dropped his gun in terror and made a feeble attempt at escape which was halted gruesomely as Vincent lunged forward and impaled the man upon the claws of his left hand. 

The cries of agony were stopped as Vincent hurled the soldier against the far wall where he hit his head with a loud crack and slid down leaving a thick smear of blood. Tifa gagged at the sight and looked away to avoid seeing it but as she turned, she glimpsed at a still figure lying half-clothed on a hospital bed. She cried out and she ran over to it; tears falling freely from her eyes and running down her cheeks.

"I wouldn't touch him if I were you," said a cold voice and she stopped instantly, the hypnotic tone forcing her to do as she was commanded.

Vincent snarled and the voice laughed gleefully. Tifa turned slowly and saw a devilish figure standing next to the specimen elevator in the opposite corner of the room to where they had entered. Her face fell at the hellish sight and her knees went weak.

The apparition glanced at the dead body of the soldier and then up at Vincent. "I told that idiot Rufus that it would be pointless stationing a guard here. He never listens... ." he muttered with a frown.

"Hojo... ." whispered Tifa in disbelief.

"Hello Miss Lockheart. Have you come to pay your last respects to the specimen?" he asked disdainfully.

"The specimen..." she murmured in disbelief. Her eyes tore away from Hojo and fell upon on the pale and drawn figure on the bed only recognisable by his SOLDIER trousers and the unruly spiked blonde hair on his head. "Oh Cloud... ." she whispered as she forced herself not to reach out and touch him under Hojo's order.

His bright blue Mako eyes opened weakly and he laboriously rolled his head over to face her. He lifted his hand to touch hers and as she sank down to the floor covering her face with her hands, his arm relaxed and his eyes closed as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"Please!" she cried tearfully. "Don't you have any humanity in you?" she begged as she stood up and faced Hojo. "Don't do this to him!" 

"Humanity?" Hojo whispered, an odd look coming over his face. "_Humanity_??" he yelled angrily, his mood changing suddenly and alarmingly. "I am serving the world to drag it from the primordial soup it crawled from! I am sacrificing my life to make it better!!"

"You're sacrificing the lives of others!" Tifa screamed back. "You're a monster and a sad excuse for a human being!"

Hojo stared at her imperturbably; empathy not even touching his stern face as Tifa collapsed emotionally before him.

"Stop killing him!" she begged. "Please...!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that Miss Lockheart. You see the Jenova cells that once inhabited his body have nearly been completely removed. He is incapable of living without them and is dying now." Hojo explained.

__

You BASTARD! Vincent cried mentally as he sprang forward with an ear-splitting roar and grabbed the scientist around the neck, lifting him off the ground and choking him slowly.

Hojo coughed and spluttered, his glasses thrown from his face as Vincent shook him like a rag-doll and his throat was constricted.

Tifa ran over to the black demon and looked up at Hojo with horror and shock written across her tear-streaked face. "No! Don't kill him Vincent. Maybe there's something he can do..."

"Y, Yes..." Hojo wheezed, grabbing Vincent's arm and trying to pull himself up to slow the strangulation. "P, Press the yellow button on the panel... a, and the blue one n, next to it."

Tifa's heart leapt and she sprinted to the panel where she punched in the buttons that he had illustrated and looked up eagerly for the next commands.

"Press th, the blue... again." Hojo forced, his face going as white as the lab coat he wore. She did as indicated and looked up. "N, Now the... orange one... b, below."

As her finger lowered to press the final button, Vincent cried out and she spun around to look at him.

__

Don't trust him, there's no chance he'll give you the right codes he pleaded in his eyes and Tifa swallowed and nodded in understanding.

Vincent growled and threw Hojo to the ground where the scientist lay winded for a few seconds before scrambling across the floor and putting on his spectacles with violently shaking hands. He rubbed his throat and looked up at the demon who looked down on him with utter hatred. Hojo grinned.

"I take it you don't like your new form, Valentine?" he sniggered and Vincent snarled but walked away. "I thought that it was quite fitting for the demon that killed his 'one true love'."

Vincent roared and spun around to rip Hojo's conceited head from his shoulders, but suddenly Tifa stood between the two with her arms outstretched looking up into Vincent's face. She shook her head.

"No Vincent." She said firmly. "He wants the easy way out and if you grant him that then Cloud will die and you'll find no cure."

Vincent lowered his claws and nodded solemnly.

The young woman turned to Hojo who was cowering on the floor in preparation for death. "Get up." She ordered apathetically and he slowly pulled himself to his feet and brushed himself down. "Now turn off all of those machines hooked up to Cloud."

Hojo glared at her and turned away to stand next to the panel. She walked up behind him and studiously watched every move he made until the droning of the monitors and medical devices ground to a halt.

"I've done it," he stated obviously as he glowered at her with visible fury and loathing.

She said nothing but turned and ran over to the bed where Cloud lay in fitful slumber. "Cloud," she whispered gently as she stroked his forehead. "Cloud it's time to wake up... we can go home now... ."

Slowly his eyes opened and his bright blue irises looked into her soft burgundy ones. "Why are you crying?" he asked weakly as he moved his hand up to her face and gently wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Because you had me worried, you moron," she said with a tearful smile. 

She wrapped her arms around him and he held her back with all of his strength scared of ever letting her go again.

Vincent turned from the emotional scene and glared down at Hojo who looked back up at him warily. "So then," he began with a dangerous glint in his dark eyes that almost seemed black in the poor light. "How does it feel to know that people are seeing you properly for the first time without that human mask you wear? How does it feel now that they can see you for the black hearted demon you really are, Valentine... or should I call you Chaos?" he sniggered.

Vincent narrowed his eyes but didn't move. _I am not in the mood for your mind games Hojo. You should be thankful that Tifa told me not to kill you otherwise you'd be impaled on my claws right now._

He looked away and over towards the exit.

"But do tell me... oh sorry, you can't speak can you? Oh well... let me guess. This might be more fun," Hojo said as he crossed his arms casually and sat back on the control panel. "Yes... let me think. What would _Lucrecia_ think of you if she could see you right now?"

Vincent's ears pricked up at the sound of the name but he kept his emotions hidden as he slowly walked away from the rambling scientist. "Do you think that she would welcome you with the same open arms that she did in the past?"

__

I'm not even going to turn around...

"Or do you think that she'd run away screaming?" he persisted and Vincent paused but shrugged off the comment and continued walking. "Maybe she would throw herself at me as she did with you all of those years back."

Vincent stopped and turned around. _What is this Hojo? Why do you want me to kill you?_

Hojo crossed his legs and sneered up at the black demon. "Maybe she would thank me for punishing you for all of your sins," he lowered his voice and looked at Vincent through his eyebrows. "After all... you do have a lot of them... ."

Vincent's eyes narrowed and his fists clenched as he struggled to maintain control. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Cloud and Tifa locked in a firm embrace; it wouldn't be right of him to deny them their moment of peace for his own weaknesses.

"You're not a religious man, are you Valentine? Heh, heh, heh... you're not even a _man_ anymore are you?" Hojo sniggered and rage began to creep up Vincent's mind. "Neither am I. _Religious_ I mean, but I'll be the first to admit that there is some all powerful force in this universe. Something... that controls and decides the fate of all of us. Do you know what that force is?" he asked rhetorically. Vincent blinked but retained his utterly impassive front.

"Science!" Hojo exclaimed triumphantly. "Science controls us all; from the screaming infant to the most decrepit old man. Do you know what that makes me? A God. All scientists are gods, but me, I am the highest. My genius is unrivalled by any other on this planet... maybe in this universe but I suppose that I truly would be blowing my own trumpet if I said that." He laughed at his own joke and Vincent continued to watch him, his patience wearing increasingly thin as time went by.

Hojo looked down at the panel and played absently with the buttons and switches. "That girl, Lockheart, she said that I was without humanity. Maybe I have to be otherwise I'd go mad... although I suppose that many would argue I already am. Heh, heh, heh."

He paused and looked up, an unfamiliar tone entering his voice as he seemed to swallow and frown gently. "I am not completely unfeeling," he murmured gently as he fingered the buttons set into the panel by his side. Inhaling deeply, he pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose in a thoroughly unnecessary gesture and glanced back up at the towering demon. "I did love her, I did love Lucrecia. Somewhere in this black heart of mine I did love her. 

"But," he began again, the reflective tone all but gone from his words. "If I were to do things again, I wouldn't change anything, _anything_ do you hear me?" he said and his voice raised as he struggled to remain outwardly calm. "My one weakness... I actually allowed myself to have feelings for the _bitch_."

Vincent's eyes glowed faintly.

"Maybe, that's why as much as I hate you, I don't hate you enough because I know that you loved her too... much more than I ever did and probably ever _could_. Heh, heh, heh... my one weakness," he sighed and shook his head. "That's why I've given you one release."

Vincent frowned.

Hojo waved his hand vaguely towards him. "That body... that form of the demon. It's your prison and it shall be for eternity. But I am not completely without some compassion," he looked back down at the buttons. "You have an hour. I repeat _one hour_ every night as your 'normal' self. I use the word as loosely as possible."

Vincent's eyes flickered. 

"You will transform into your vampiric self for an hour every night but you will not be completely free. You cannot eat or drink as the demon and so you must do what you need to in order to stay alive in that hour," he glanced up. "By that I mean you must ingest the blood that you need to satisfy your bloodlust which will keep you alive for another day. If you fail to do that then you will die." He drummed his fingers along the metal surface casually. "It was not my choice; if I had the time then I would've eliminated that unfortunate side effect of your vampirism but I couldn't. You should be thankful; as a human the digestive process is far to slow so you would starve to death anyway. As a vampire the metabolism is considerably quicker and will keep you alive."

He shrugged. "At least it will until you die from other means."

Vincent wasn't sure exactly how to feel. The very man who had put him in his predicament was telling him that there was a marginal release. Was he meant to hate the bastard even more for doing it to him in the first place, or was he to praise him for his little humanity? Vincent didn't know. Confusion flooded his senses and numbed him until he felt as though he were living a dream. As opposed to facing his tormentor, he turned and began to walk away.

He flinched suddenly however as a terrible sound screamed through his head and drove into his brain like a hammer. He cried out and dropped to his knees, his hands over his pointed ears in a vain attempt to cut out the siren.

Tifa and Cloud jerked awake from their silent dream-like embrace as the terrible sound resounded in the room. They turned and looked over at Hojo who stood beside the panel with a smug grin on his face.

"I have a flair for the dramatic!" he announced over the whine.

The sound ceased as quickly as it had begun and was replaced by a woman's voice; recognisable as Scarlet, the old Shinra's head of Weapon Development.

"Self Destruct will take place in T minus five minutes. Please do not panic and head to the exits in an orderly fashion. Please evacuate the building. Self Destruct will take place in T minus Four minutes and fifty seconds."

Their jaws dropped in shock as the noise subsided leaving a soft blipping to indicate the seconds as they were counted down.

"You're insane!" Tifa exclaimed once her ears had stopped ringing. "You'll kill us all!"

"Ah well," Hojo smirked with a shrug. "At least we'll go out with a bang!"

He moved away from the panel and walked nonchalantly towards the specimen's elevator. Stepping inside, he closed the bars to stare out at the people in the room. "If you'll excuse me, I have some research I need to be getting on with."

He pressed a button and the elevator moved upwards and out of sight.

"T minus Four minutes and thirty seconds."

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Godamnit!" swore Cid loudly as the final warning was barked out. "Which mad bastard did that?"

"Well I'm guessing that he had black hair, glasses and a hunch," said Yuffie as she picked herself up off the floor where she'd fallen when startled by the loud noise.

"Looks like Tifa and Vinny hit the jackpot," he muttered.

There was a loud sound from further along the corridor and the rest of the group came into view. 

"I take it that was Hojo?" Elena frowned as she caught her breath.

"That's what we think anyway," agreed Cid somewhat absently as he stared thoughtfully down the corridor. "Did you get the weapons?"

Rude and Reeve held up Cloud's sword and Vincent's gun.

He paused for a moment to look at the three dishevelled Turks who stood before him in their scorched uniforms and less than neat appearance. A slow smile creeping onto his stubbled face, he sniggered and shook his head.

"Something funny, Highwind?" inquired Reno with his head cocked to one side and his hands on his hips.

"Ah, nuthin," Cid sighed. "C'mon, let's get the hell outta here."

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Vincent threw himself against the bars of the elevator and fell back as they stood and served only to hurt his shoulder. He let out a furious roar.

A look of horror on her face, Tifa ran over and pulled him back. "There's no point, Vincent," she pleaded. "Let him die here if that's what he wants but I can't carry Cloud on my own."

Vincent sighed and nodded. He strode quickly over to the hospital bed where Cloud lay weakly, looking up at him an odd smile. The ex-Turk come-demon bent down and carefully picked him up without a sign of effort.

"You look well," Cloud grinned hoarsely and Vincent raised his eyebrows and sighed.

"The others will be waiting," Tifa said urgently as she began to walk towards the exit.

Vincent followed with powerful strides and soon overtook her. Together they walked through the corridor and to the branch in the path where Cid and the others stood waiting.

The Turk's started as they saw Vincent loom from the shadows but looked away embarrassed as the demon was greeted by the other members of AVALANCHE although they didn't understand what was happening.

Without a word the large group walked to the elevators. Cid pressed the button and an eternity passed while nothing happened. "Shit, all power must be terminated when the self destruct countdown starts."

"What the hell is the point of having a countdown when there's no way that you can escape!" yelled Reno furiously as he kicked the wall. "Man, I hate this dammed building!"

"Stairs?" asked Elena as she looked down the corridor towards the stairway.

"T minus three minutes."

Reeve shook his head grimly. "There's no way we'll make it in time."

"W, Water."

Everyone looked around in puzzlement for the source of the voice and Vincent bent down so that Cloud could see the rest of the group. "Water," he repeated weakly. "Down the elevator passage. There's an underground river. If we jump down the shaft we can make it."

Yuffie skipped over to the broken duct that had contained the bomb and peered down, almost fainting at the incredible distance. She couldn't even see the bottom but if she held her breath then she could hear the sound of water running far, _far_ below. She turned with unconcealed shock. "You're more insane than _Hojo_ if you think I'm gonna jump down there!"

"It's not exactly a fun choice, is it?" said Reno as he looked down beside the young ninja. "Getting smashed to pieces as we fall down an old shaft into water that might only be a few metres deep or getting blown apart by a bomb." Yuffie glared viciously at him as he grinned back.

"Well I dunno 'bout the rest of you, but I don't wanna sit around here doin' fuck all," Cid announced crassly as he took of his jacket and walked over to the open recess. "I say we jump."

"What about Cloud?" objected Tifa. "He's too weak to swim."

Vincent coughed, or at least did a feasible impression and Tifa looked up at him. "You'll carry him?" she asked and he nodded. "But what if you drown?"

__

I wasn't intending to.

He continued to stare down at her impassively and she eventually nodded and turned back to the others. "I'll jump too."

Cid grinned encouragingly and flicked his cigarette down the hole, watching until it was swallowed by the darkness. "I'm guessin' that it'll take about ten seconds to hit the water and another ten to swim out of the way. If we jump every fifteen seconds then that should work out."

Reeve nodded. "By the time someone's swimming away, another will be preparing to jump. That works."

"T minus two minutes and thirty seconds."

"Here I go," breathed Cid as he walked up to the edge. "I used to be a test pilot, y'know. This brings it all back." He grinned back at them, and with a mock salute, stepped back into nothingness.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

The wind rushed up around his ears and he closed his eyes tightly. His heart flew up to his mouth and the very feeling of weightlessness made him panic. Resisting the urge to flail out and grab something in the knowledge that his arms would probably be torn off, he kept them stiffly by his sides and waited for impact.

With an explosion, he hit the water and the breath was thrown from his lungs as he sank further and further down, propelled by the momentum of his fall like a dart. As he ceased moving downwards, panic set in and he began to lash out wildly trying to find something to pull himself up. He slowly co-ordinated his limbs and swum powerfully upwards. He broke the surface with a loud gasp and felt the cool air reach his lungs.

As he began to swim away from the area there was a loud splash followed seconds later by the sound of someone gasping. He swam over and eventually caught sight of Tifa trying to breathe in the icy water. He grabbed her and began to help her swim away from where she'd splashed down. 

He held her and began to swim until she came over the initial shock and she was able to support herself. They broke apart and treaded water as they took the time to take in their surroundings.

"Where are we?" breathed Tifa and her heart leapt as her voice echoed eerily around wherever they were, rebounding off unseen walls and coming back to meet her like invisible creatures whispering into her ears.

"I dunno," answered Cid with a hushed tone. "It's big... ."

As he said this, he looked around. It was almost pitch black; the only light was coming from the small square fifty metres above them where they had fallen in their descent from the shaft. The faint light danced upon the ripples of the vast lake they floated in that reached on forever in all direction. As Cid squinted he made a vague outline in the darkness straight ahead where the water ripples seemed to stop.

"There," he said pointing towards it quickly. "I think its land."

There was another loud splash that resounded around the room before a spluttering Reeve broke the surface and began to choke violently. Cid and Tifa swam over and calmed him down until he was able to tread water on his own. Together, the three of them swam to the island in the dark lake. 

As they pulled themselves up the shore there was another splash and Rude quickly surfaced and swam to them without complaint or sound. He dragged himself up to them and collapsed wearily on the muddy shore. 

"We've got two minutes left," he reported.

They looked up towards the end of the shaft and waited for the next member of the group to slide out and impact with the water. As they watched, the hatch blacked suddenly as a large black shaped dropped from it. As soon as it reached the open air with a neck breaking jerk, two massive wings opened and the descent was halted.

"Hey, Vincent!" called Tifa waving her arms.

The demon clutching Cloud tightly concentrated on its movements and twisted in the air until it glided towards the island where it landed awkwardly, stumbling and almost falling before righting itself.

He lay a shivering Cloud upon the floor and Tifa rushed over to him. Cid sauntered over and glanced up at Vincent. "How the hell did you fly? I thought you couldn't even walk," he said with a frown.

Vincent shrugged and looked up suddenly as there was another loud splash and Elena emerged from the water. Rude waved her over and then the group waited for the next to take the plunge.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Look, you're gonna have to jump or you'll get blown to pieces!" Reno exclaimed to Yuffie who was sat slouched up against the cold wall that faced the pit which all of her friends had leapt down.

"I don't wanna," she mumbled childishly. "For all we know, they could have all broken their necks by now."

"Look, I'll just go," offered Cait. "It'll be easier an' then I can tell the others' what's goin' on."

Reno turned to him. "You waterproof?"

Cait nodded with a grin. "Yup. I'm protected 'gainst all the elements, all reprogramming 'cept by Reeve, I'm crush resistant and-"

"All right, Jeez. I didn't want to _buy_ you, just know that you weren't gonna electrocute everyone when you hit the water," Reno snapped and Cait burst out laughing.

"T minus one minute. Would all left in the building please evacuate, repeat, please evacuate."

"See y'all later!" waved the cat in farewell as he shuffled over to the open elevator. "See you at the bottom!"

He hopped backwards and fell into oblivion.

Reno turned to Yuffie and sighed with obvious exasperation. "Look. You have to jump, _now_."

"Oh yeah?" countered the sulking young girl defiantly. "An' who's gonna make me?"

Reno slouched down and sat next to her. She turned to him with surprise on her unhappy face. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm stayin' right here."

"But you'll get killed!"

"Pretty stupid, huh?" he said as he looked at her and she pulled a face.

"Oh yeah," she responded shaking her head in disgust. "I see what your trying to do and don't think it'll work. I know it looks dumb but I'd rather sit and die than fall and get smashed on some rocks!"

"T minus thirty seconds."

He pulled out his nightstick and began to polish it idly, stopping every few seconds to examine the surface as he whistled a cheerful tune to himself.

"T minus twenty seconds."

Yuffie began to shuffle nervously and look at him worriedly. "Umm, I think you've made your point Reno. I know it's stupid but I'm not leaving."

He stopped whistling but continued cleaning the black pole. "Oh, I'm not leaving either then," he said casually.

"Wh, Why the hell now?" she spluttered in shock.

He stopped and turned to her. "Because I'm not jumping until after you do."

"B,But I'm not jumping!"

"Oh well." He shrugged and he carried on whistling.

"T minus ten seconds."

Yuffie leapt to her feet and sprinted to the open shaft. "You, you... JERK!" she screamed.

He grinned and ran over to her. "Ladies first."

She glowered and jumped on him so that he was forced to hold her. "We go down together," she explained forcefully.

He nodded his head politely. "Yes ma'am!" 

She wrapped her legs around his waist while he held her tightly and with a step back they found themselves plummeting down the void through Yuffie's own rabbit-hole.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

'"_You could not create such a world as you have described. It is impossible."_

"Why?"

"It is impossible to found a civilisation on fear and hatred and cruelty. It would never endure."

"Why not?"

"It would have no vitality. It would disintegrate. It would commit suicide."

"Nonsense. You are under the impression that hatred is more exhausting than love. Why should it be? And if it were, what difference would that make? Suppose that we choose to wear ourselves out faster. Suppose that we quicken the tempo of human life till men are senile at thirty. Still what difference would it make? Can you not understand that the death of the individual is not death?"

"I don't know- I don't care. Somehow you will fail. Something will defeat you. **Life** will defeat you."'

Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell


	7. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass 

by Lucrecia Marionette

__

~Chapter 7~

'A Prison by any other Name…'

_____________________________________________________________

The icy water enveloped them as an explosion roared overhead hurling them downwards with the force of a bullet. She felt the coldness freeze her lungs and limbs and pure panic set in as she felt something smothering and holding her down. She lashed out and heard a muffled cry of pain in the water. Although her eyes were open, she saw nothing but blackness and bubbles as they burst up from below her. She didn't even know which was the right way up, only that she had to fight to gain the privilege of air. She kicked powerfully and flailed her arms wildly until at last she broke free from the restricting liquid and into the cold air. Seconds later bubbles rose up next to her and a choking figure surfaced from the black water.

"Godamnit!! Are you trying to kill me??" he yelled, his fiery red hair plastered to his forehead from the water and his mouth was open greedily taking in lungfuls of air.

"Don't piss me off Reno!!" she argued angrily. "You should've left me up there!!"

"You'd be less than a stir fry if I had!" he objected furiously. "Are you so selfish you're not even gonna thank me??"

"For what?? For making me jump down a bottomless pit and almost drowning at the bottom??"

"Uh, guys...?" called a tentative voice from somewhere in the darkness. "When you two have finished having your little hissy fits, maybe you should think about swimming over here??"

They glared in the direction of the voice and saw a faint island in the dim cavern. Turning back to look at each other and proclaiming an unspoken contest, they both swam as quickly as they could to the island. Yuffie stumbled up the bank first; collapsing exhaustedly in a heap on the ground while Reno limped up behind her.

"I win!" she grinned triumphantly.

"Yeah? Well I could've swum here and back twenty times before you crawled up but because a certain person kicked me in the leg I wasn't able to." Reno contended, clutching at his left leg while Yuffie stuck her tongue out at the bedraggled Turk.

"Kids, kids." hushed Cid sarcastically. "I know that you're both obviously very upset but right now we need to get out of this damned pit, so would ya just shut the hell up??"

Reno and Yuffie sank into guilty silence but not before glaring at the pilot who was sat on the muddy beach, leant up against a large boulder.

"So what do we do now?" asked Elena as she looked collectively at the group assembled messily on the muddy bank. "We can't stay here, that's for sure."

"We have to get out of here." said Reeve obviously. "That explosion has probably sprayed debris all over the city and they'll need someone to help organise clean up crews."

"Like you, ya mean?" Cid questioned as he turned to the executive who blushed and looked away.

Tifa sighed. "That's the most understandable idea." she stated. "We do need to find a way out of here." she paused for a moment and began to look around.

They were gathered on an island of mud that jutted from a brick wall into the dark lake that stretched on in all directions as far as the eye could see. The rushing water was the only other sound than their breaths and low mutterings as they conversed and argued with each other. Boulders, stones and old pieces of scrap and wood seemed to be collected on the bank and they provided useful seats for the tired group of fighters. The soil shore kept to the wall and led off in either direction; the only indication to which way they should walk was the flow of the water.

"Maybe we should follow the river, after all it does lead through the sectors so it has to emerge from somewhere."

Cid looked up and glanced around the black expanse. "Mebbe we should ask Vinny. Looks like he knows how to fly so he might be able to find another route."

Tifa looked around the group and frowned when she noticed for the first time that Vincent was missing. "Hey... where is he?" she inquired eventually.

Everyone began to search realising that it wasn't overly difficult to lose a huge black demon. However, there was no sign of him other than a set of paw-like footprints in the wet mud leading away from them.

"Shit, did anyone see him leave?" Reno demanded as he leapt up. "Maybe he went to alert the surviving soldiers or something-"

"Hey!!" objected Cid furiously. "Are you suggesting that Vincent's an enemy, cos if you are then you'd better be ready to get your ass kicked!!"

"Gladly!" responded Reno as he slid the nightstick from its holder and with the click of a switch, blue electric sparks began to shimmer from it threateningly. Cid lifted the Venus Gospel and swung it in an arc. 

"Stop... it." said Cloud weakly from his lying position on the floor. Although his voice was not raised, it demanded respect and the two men ceased their dangerous displays immediately.

"What is it, Cloud?" Tifa questioned eagerly as she knelt down beside him. "Do you know where Vincent is?"

"I, I think I may have an idea." he explained quietly. "While you and me... held each other in the Lab, I heard the Hojo mention something vaguely. I, I'm not sure if I'm right but he said something about Vincent having a release from the Chaos form every night. When you were all talking, I saw him holding his stomach and trying to stay quiet. He crept off and I didn't want to mention it... y'know what he's like... ."

"So he's not trapped?" exclaimed Yuffie, a broad and happy smile on her face.

"I dunno." Cloud answered, shaking his head and lying back down from exhaustion.

"Well... we should find him." Cid declared. "He might need our help-"

Before anyone could say anything more, an eerie wailing emerged from the darkness. Their muscles tensed and their hearts were gripped by fear as the terrible noise subsided leaving a deathly silence.

"What the _hell_ was that?" asked Reno his knuckles white as he held onto the handle of the nightstick.

There was another noise, more recognisable as the cry of a wounded animal or beast but there was an odd undertone in it, like there was more than one voice shrieking at once. There was a scream; definitely more human and Tifa turned to Cid, her eyes wide in fear and worry.

"Oh God," she breathed. "I, I think that's Vincent."

There was a final cry of agony and then the dreadful silence fell upon them once more. Unwilling to wait, Tifa leapt over the cluttered debris and sprang into the darkness, her eyes darting left to right for any sign of the injured man.

Cid appeared beside her, his powerful spear shedding a dim and barely noticeable light that stretched the edges of their visible circle further. They walked forwards together with confident but panicked strides and Cid's quick eyes picked out a huddled figure on the very rim of their vision.

"There!" he called as he pointed the ornate spear towards the shape.

Tifa ran over and saw Vincent who was half-clothed wearing only his black trousers and boots crouched on the floor with his arms wrapped around his legs defensively. He was shivering violently and streaks of mud covered his pale and scarred back while all around were the signs of a struggle printed in the muddy shore. Pools of dark blood stained the floor and Tifa swallowed nervously. Using all of her willpower, she knelt down beside the shivering man.

"Vincent," she said gently as she put an arm around his shoulders. "There's no need to be scared, it's me."

He looked up, his red eyes wide and staring and his lips slightly parted as though he was waiting for something or wanting to speak but unable to find the words.

"Hey man, you alright?" Cid questioned worriedly as he bent down and looked into Vincent's face. "Can you speak?"

"Y... Y, yes," he replied after a moment. "I... I'm... all right."

"You're shivering." Tifa observed quietly and then she looked up at Cid. "Can you lend him your jacket?"

He looked as though he were about to object, but slowly slid the bomber-jacket from himself and lay it on Vincent's back like a shawl.

"Thanks," Vincent mumbled.

The pilot knelt down and looked into Vincent's face, perhaps in an effort to find out what was plaguing him. He almost fell back in surprise as light gleamed from his spear and off two wickedly pointed fangs in Vincent's mouth, partially visible through his slightly open lips.

"Damn, Vincent. I hate to be the one to tell you this but, it doesn't look like everything's back to normal... ." he said gently.

"I know... . I am... far from 'normal'," Vincent responded quietly.

"No, no. I, I don't mean like that. I mean you got fangs! Now you look like a vampire even more!" Cid answered half jovially, uncertain of his dark friend's mood.

"Then nothing has changed," Vincent replied coldly as he stood and clutched the bomber jacket around himself, shivering violently. "I have one hour and then I will change back." he reported eventually. "But right now... I'm hungry... ."

He looked at Cid who stood up with him and there was an odd glimmer in his eyes that made the couple wary.

"H, Hungry?" Cid repeated and his stomach growled loudly. He grinned and patted it. "Yeah, I think everyone's hungry. Hell, I'm starvin' here! I think we all need something to eat."

Vincent continued to stare at Cid with a dangerous spark in his glittering ruby eyes and an uncomfortable silence fell upon them.

Tifa coughed nervously and the tense atmosphere was shattered as easily as a pane of glass by the eerily loud gesture. The attentions of both men fell on her and she was momentarily taken aback by the fangs in Vincent's mouth which were now clearly visible. "Umm..." she began uncertainly. "I, I think we should head back to the rest of the group now. They'll probably be worried."

Vincent snapped out of his trance and stopped shaking, standing up tall and looking half like his usual self. "I must go," he said suddenly to Cid and Tifa's surprise. "I need something to eat and I refuse to find it here."

He took off the jacket and handed it roughly back to Cid before striding mysteriously into the darkness without any apparent motive leaving the couple to exchange puzzled glances at his odd remark.

"Wait! Vincent!" called Tifa as she took a few steps after him. "We can be back at the bar within an hour, you can have something to eat there."

Vincent paused but did not turn around as he seemed to consider the idea. "Speak with Cloud." he responded eventually in a quiet tone. "He'll... explain everything. I'll wait for you all although I doubt that you shall be as willing to see me... ."

He walked away and was enveloped by the shadows as his near silent footsteps dissipated into the heavy air. Cid and Tifa continued to give each other bewildered looks.

"Well that was... weird." 

"Weird? Fuck! I thought he was strange before!" Cid exclaimed and Tifa gave him a hushing look.

"He'll probably hear." she hissed but he didn't seem to care.

"Dammit man... d'you think Hojo screwed with his mind too?"

"Cid!" answered Tifa furiously. "Shut up before I make you! Don't talk like that, ever! I want to go back to Cloud. Maybe he can shed some light here... ."

Cid scratched the back of his head and followed after the determined young woman who jogged back to the others that sat wearily waiting for any orders.

"Cloud? What the hell's goin' on?" asked Cid as soon as he entered the circle, launching into the questions that were burning brightly in his mind. "Why has Vincent just ran off into the night like some kind of vamp talkin' about how hungry he is? Shit, he even has the fangs now!"

Everyone turned from the couple that had just returned out of the shadows to the weak figure on the ground.

"He said that he has an hour before he changes back. I tried to tell him that we could get back to the bar and have something to eat before then but he just ignored me and told us to ask you what's going on." Tifa explained. She looked down at Cloud who took a deep breath.

"Well, uh..." he paused and seemed to consider his answer. "It's funny that you called him a vamp... ." his voice trailed off as Cid's eyes widened alarmingly.

"You have got to be fuckin' kiddin' me!" he responded in a barely audible voice. "Y, Y'mean that the vampire... really is a vampire??"

Cloud nodded solemnly and there was silence.

"So... you mean that he'll probably try to bite our necks or something grim like that?" Reno asked openly, disgust undisguised on his features. "Man, that's sick! You've gotta be joking!"

Cloud shook his head slowly. "Vincent told me himself... he wouldn't lie about something like that. It wasn't through choice. Seeing people like Hojo came as a shock and things came to light that I think he probably thought hidden from everyone."

"H, How long has he... y'know… ?" asked Yuffie hesitantly with understandable concern.

"Ah... apparently he's been a... umm, vampire since Hojo experimented on him."

"S, So y'mean when we woke him up from his coffin in the Shinra Mansion basement, he was a bloodsucker?" questioned Cait with horror.

Elena laughed. "You're telling me that you woke up a sixty year old who looks twenty-seven and sleeps in a coffin and you had no idea?" she laughed again and the members of AVALANCHE exchanged odd glances.

"Well, me an' Barret always made jokes but his eyes used to glow and we learnt not to even mention it after a while because the guy would go psycho!" Cid answered in a half-hearted attempt for an excuse. "There was no way we could know... ." He looked off into the blackness with a dim hope of catching some glimpse of his friend. "He said that he 'refused to find somethin' to eat here'. He obviously doesn't wanna hurt us. This is too weird... ."

"Well... I hate to be that one that shatters the mood but there's a city up there that needs our help. Can we get going now?" asked Reeve impatiently. 

Tifa nodded and turned to Cait. "D'you think that you can carry Cloud?"

"I can walk on my own..." Cloud began feebly, attempting to stand but falling back clumsily onto the mud. Tifa gave him a disapproving stare and Cait hesitantly bent down and lifted the young warrior carefully. The black and white cat grinned down at him.

"I'll make your ride as smooth as possible. Thank you for travelling with Cait Sith travel. Co where your relaxation is our revenue!"

"Since when did I programme you to tell such bad jokes?" Reeve questioned with one eyebrow raised.

"You didn't have to programme him... he probably picked it up from being around you so much." Reno laughed and Reeve gave him a blank glance while Elena tapped her foot.

"Are we going now?"

Tifa swallowed nervously and walked to the waters edge, taking a brief second to gauge which direction the wide river flowed in. It seemed that Vincent had decided on the correct route. Turning back to the others she nodded towards where she and Cid had discovered their dark friend. "We go that way if we want to follow the water to get out." she reported. 

Without another word exchanged, the group of weary fighters began their trudge to light. 

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

They walked for what felt like hours whereas only forty minutes had passed before they caught sight of light at the end of their tunnel. From their distance they could see an intricate network of vines and branches growing over the exit, disguising it well from any onlookers outside. The light shed down onto them was dappled and weak but through the tangled mass of life they saw fires burning far away casting an orange glow into the dark night-time sky. Reeve's pace increased considerably at the sight until he broke far away from the group and ran ahead to stand and stare through the growth. When they caught up with him finally they saw his mouth open in shock and his overall expression aghast. 

"My God... ." he muttered. "Look what that bastard Hojo did... ."

Peering through the branches they saw the devastation in greater detail. Their pathway led out into the Sector Seven Gardens and huge chunks of shrapnel and twisted sheets of burning metal littered the once perfect grass. Occasional cries and screams of anguish would float through the air and touch their ears making them wish that they could crawl back through the tunnel and deny what had happened. 

The damage was bad enough in the huge park and none of them dared to imagine what terrible fates had become the inhabited sectors. Reno moved away from them and walked over to a patch in the growth that had been torn to pieces to give a small doorway to the outside world. The vines and leaves had been shredded and by the spacing of the slices it was obvious that a claw had made the damage. He proceeded to push through it until he stood in the night where he took the time to glance around the area. The rest quickly followed and they surveyed the devastation from the new vantage-point.

"The blast radius must've been huge." mumbled Yuffie. "I hope that everyone's alright... ."

"I'm sure that they'll be fine," consoled Tifa, not sounding completely sure of her own words. 

"There's no point in assuming anything," commented Reno as he leant up against the wall where the river emerged from and led across the park. "We need to take a look ourselves."

As he said this, the groups' eyes focused on a figure walking towards them from across the expanse of grass. Soon, a blood red cloak and black clothes were more apparent and recognisable as Vincent. Although the members of AVALANCHE felt glad to see him, part of them twisted inside to think of the recently uncovered secret. As they mulled over their individual thoughts and opinions on the matter, they began to scrutinise their approaching companion more closely. His walk was stiff and wary as though he was uncertain what his return and reception would entail. His body language was tense, but at the same time his shoulders slumped and his head was tilted downwards as if he couldn't stand facing them. Although feeling an unstoppable repulsion towards him, they couldn't help but experience a terrible sense of helplessness and sorrow. Who could have thought that he would keep such an important and dreadful secret from them for so long?

He stopped twenty metres from the scattered group and lifted his head to face them; it wasn't difficult to see that he was attempting to analyse the situation and the thoughts of the others. Reno was less disguised in his sickness and turned away from the ex-Turk while Elena felt only curiosity. Rude's emotions were a mystery as always but by the way that he intently watched Vincent's approach it wasn't difficult to see that he too found interest in the dark figure.

Overcoming whatever negative bonds held her back, Tifa walked forward until she stood metres away from the silent figure, his head bowed slightly in guilt.

"H, Hello, Vincent," she said with more fear than she'd intended on showing. "Are you... all right now?" 

He looked up but never lost his stature of remorse. "I fear that I shall never be... ."

Forcing a nervous smile to reassure him, she took a few steps forward and held out her hands. "Will you help us?"

He looked blankly at the outstretched hands and she reluctantly dropped them, realising that he wasn't prepared to give anything away at that moment. "I... cannot." he replied eventually. "I have a matter of minutes left... . About fifteen I believe and if I were to stay around any longer then I would only serve to hinder your efforts to help the city."

She nodded gravely but with understanding. "What are you going to do now?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. What can I do? Hojo will be dead and along with him any information regarding my... condition," he shook his head. "There was no way he could've survived the blast."

As he ended, everyone found their eyes looking up the massive pillar-like structure they'd just exited. For the first time they noticed plumes of smoke and fires bursting from the top of the building like a massive beacon. Vincent sighed. "All I can hope to do is continue my research. Perhaps then I can find something to alleviate my suffering. I cannot hope to find a cure. I have been looking for years now without avail."

"What are you gonna do _right now_, though?" interjected Cid, gathering his courage and walking to stand beside Tifa. "You just stayin' in the gardens or are you goin' home?"

"Home?" repeated Vincent but he shook his head. "No... . I have no home. I went to grab some things. The apartments have been almost totally destroyed but fortunately some of my clothes and books were salvageable."

"Sector Four's been destroyed?" exclaimed Reeve with horror. "Oh my God... . Were there any fatalities? How many were injured? Is everyone safe??"

"I helped those I could but as I said, I had to leave because I have little time left. For what I could see, there were many trapped beneath the rubble and there were a few injuries but no deaths."

Reeve whispered a prayer and clasped his hands while Cait atop Mog patted him on the shoulder comfortingly. "Y'see, everything'll be okay."

The executive nodded and the pair carrying Cloud began to walk away across the grass towards the Six/Seven gate to plan rescue operations. Tifa turned back to Vincent and watched in concern as he grimaced and inhaled sharply.

"It's beginning," he said simply, his voice strained and laced with pain. "I need to leave here."

He fell to his knees and Tifa ran over and knelt beside him. "I'll take you back to the bar. If you get in then you can change there and stay indoors tomorrow. I know it's not perfect but it'll keep you safe and away from prying eyes for now."

He looked about to object when another pain gripped his stomach and he nodded hesitantly.

"I'll take him there," piped up a small voice and Tifa turned to look at Yuffie who seemed nervous but defiant, her small jaw clenched with courage.

Tifa smiled and nodded, stepping back to allow the younger girl to pass. Yuffie bent down next to Vincent and helped him stand awkwardly

"C'mon," she urged gently. "I'll help you walk."

He leant heavily on her and they walked away as quickly as they could manage after Reeve and Cait. Seeing no point in waiting around, the three Turks followed suit although at a more leisurely pace as wounds that had been inflicted upon them began to become more obvious due to the pause in action. As their friends disappeared into the hellish night, soon only Tifa and Cid were left behind.

"They'll need all the help they can get. Perhaps we should follow 'em?" suggested Cid to break the moments' thought.

"Yeah. I want to check on Cloud. Maybe I can take him back to the bar now. I'm worried about him." she confided quietly. "Hojo said that most of the Jenova cells had been drained out of him. I'm so worried Cid... he might die... ."

Tears began to form in her burgundy eyes but she bit her lip and stopped them from falling.

"He's a fighter... he'll pull through." Cid answered comfortingly. "He's survived earthquakes, Mako poisoning and the worst identity crisis this century! He'll be okay. Just you see."

Tifa smiled happily. If it weren't for her friends then she didn't know what she'd do.

"Let's go then." 

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

The back door into the kitchen of Tifa's Seventh Heaven burst open and the two friends stumbled in clumsily. Vincent dropped to the floor, gasping for air and fighting the agony that threatened to rip through his body. Yuffie considered helping but there was nothing she could do except assist in her own way. She ran around frantically, turning on the lights in the large room and pushing all of the stools to the very edges of the floor space to give Vincent as much room as possible. Eventually satisfied she looked back at him as he cried out in pain and clutched his chest feeling every cell in his body beginning to twist and warp into a cruel and demonic design.

She dropped down beside him and he lifted his head to face her. Beads of sweat formed on his brow and his face was pale and panic stricken. "Don't... stay here... Yuffie." he forced out. "It's not... safe."

"I can't leave you... ."

"Please." he begged in a strained voice. "Don't... watch."

He let out another cry and his red eyes closed tightly in anguish.

"I, I just want to apologise." Yuffie stuttered quickly. "I'm really sorry about going into your room. I shouldn't have and I'm really, really sorry."

"That's... okay. Don't worry... . J, Just, get away from here."

She jumped up and with a final backwards glance, left the room and ran to the bar where she sank against the panelled wood walls and put her hands over her ears, unwilling to hear her friend's torture. 

A terrible scream reached her and her face screwed up in malady, the awful sound drilling through her very soul. It was followed by another, more bestial this time and there was the sound of breaking glass as objects were knocked to the tiled floor by Vincent's writhing and transformation. There was a final roar, filled with the agony of torment and then there was an oppressing silence that scared her more than the actual event.

She stood up warily and with hesitation, walked back to the kitchen. Vincent in his demonic form was on the floor on his hands and knees, his head bowed between his shoulders as though he was gathering the strength to move. The massive crimson wings were splayed awkwardly either side of him, bent up against benches and stools touching both ends of the large room. Smashed glasses and jars were all over the tiled floor, no doubt from where the wings had thrown them off in their agonised movements as he struggled to retain control. Changing from human to Chaos had always been an uncontrolled and instinctive feat leaving him with no power of his behaviour and actions. She couldn't imagine how terrible it would be for him to be fully conscious of what was happening. 

Gathering her courage, she walked over to a pile of broken glass and began to pick it up in an effort to clean the mess. Vincent lifted his head and regarded her with startlingly human eyes that seemed full of sorrow and pain. Noticing his gaze, she stopped and looked at him.

"It's okay." she said once over the initial shock of how human the demon appeared despite it's gargoylic-cattish appearance. "I'll tidy this up."

He nodded thankfully and sank back into his thoughts with the sound of glass tinkling and crunching in his sensitive ears. He felt heavy and tired; changing back into a human had always left him exhausted for hours after and every fibre in his body longed for rest. His eyelids began to droop but as a loud screech echoed in the air, his head jerked up.

Yuffie stood over a stool that she'd pulled across the floor with a sheepish grin. "Sorry." she apologised lamely. "Why don't you sit over there and get some sleep?"

He looked over his shoulder to where she had indicated and saw a dark corner made by the wall that held the back door and the wall containing the doorway to the lounge and living area upstairs. He nodded and shuffled backwards until he sat in the corner with his back resting upon one of the walls and his right side leant up against the other. His eyelids began their slow descent across his eyes in preparation for sleep once more as an aching weariness tugged at his body. He dozily glanced down on himself and shuddered softly. He looked down upon the massive clawed hands and rough black skin that seemed darker than the night outside. His hearing and other senses were the same as they were in his human form; designed for predatorial purposes. The vampiric metamorphosis had made certain that he robbed others of their life to the best of his ability. 

He never killed people, not purposefully at least. Sometimes the insatiable bloodlust became too much and he little say over his actions, just as he normally did in the Chaos form. It was strange; roles had reversed. In his human shape he felt nothing but intense hunger governing his thoughts but as the demon he could rationally think with more clarity that he could otherwise. Appearance certainly didn't seem to suggest reality in this instance.

Losing his brave battle against sleep, he gave in and pulled his legs up so that he rested a pointed chin on black knees. He wrapped his arms around his legs and clasped the hands weakly. As he sank into unconsciousness he drew his wings up around himself, locking the clawed joints at the top together to form a crimson veil that hid him away from the world so that he could deny it even existed. It was easier to think like that.

The cold tiled floor was uncomfortably hard and the wall was crushing his wings awkwardly. He wished that he were lying at home in his bed where he could dream easily. He even willed for the coffin that had imprisoned him for thirty-three years of his life. It was secure and dark, safe from troubles that did not concern him and allowing him to revel in his own glorious downfall. Perhaps dreaming hell would be better than living it... .

Finished with her attempt at cleaning, Yuffie looked over at the huge demon in the corner of the room hidden beneath the scarlet folds of his wings. His breathing was almost silent but it was deep and even; at least he was asleep now.

She sighed with exhaustion and sank down against a bench cupboard opposite him. A yawn escaped her lips and the very sight of seeing someone sleeping only furthered her own weariness. It wasn't long before she lay down with her small knees tucked up to her chest and her eyes closed as she too welcomed oblivion in the chance of forgetting everything for a few hours.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

It was early the next morning when the rest of AVALANCHE slunk in through the back doors after an exhausting night of rescuing survivors from the explosion. Vincent's head lifted wearily at the sound of the door opening and he watched through half closed lids as they walked in muttering quiet and tired conversations with each other. Still dark outside due to the long winter nights, they turned on the main light and leapt as they saw the large demon staring back at them from one of the corners. Over the initial fright, they made themselves at home; stirring the young ninja from her sleep and sitting around in a large circle to begin exhausted conversations. The Turks, Reeve and Cait Sith were no longer with them having stayed to work through the morning in order to rescue people from the scattered rubble thrown out from the blast. The damage had not been as bad as they'd expected but the matter was still grave with the death toll rising every hour. Those who had escaped the initial explosion had later been killed by collapsing buildings in the panic and confusion of the situation as fear spread like a plague through the population. Half the battle had been calming them down and trying to convince them that they were now safe.

Cloud had been taken upstairs to bed and Tifa stumbled in fatigue out of the stairway door and into the kitchen. She had to be physically helped to stand and move by Cid who supported her to her stool. Once everyone was ready the conversation and summary of the week's events began to spill out hesitantly. 

"How's Cloud?" Cid asked kindly to initiate the talks. "Is he alright?"

Tifa nodded. "Yeah. He's fine at the moment, just weak and tired I s'pose."

"I guess we should be glad that it's nothing worse."

Tifa nodded again.

"H, He will pull through right?" asked Yuffie awkwardly. "I mean you an' Vincent stopped Hojo before he could finish whatever he was doing?"

Tifa glanced over at Vincent who seemed too lost in his own thoughts to contribute in his own limited way to the conversation. She sighed and shrugged. "He seems okay apart from the frailty I mean. He seems to be getting stronger ever time I look at him. Who knows what the future holds... ?" her voice died out and like Vincent she became engrossed with her present state of mind.

After a pause Cid coughed and all attentions in the room were once more brought to the surface. "So, what do we do now?" he asked plaintively. "Do we just sit around and wait for Cloud to get better an' then go back to how everythin' was before?"

__

That may be difficult... Vincent thought glumly to himself, sighing sorrowfully and shuffling his wings.

Noticing his misery, Tifa looked up at Vincent but then down at the floor not focusing on anything in particular. "We can try... ." she said softly. "But I don't think that this is over... ."

Yuffie and Cid looked questioningly at her. "Course its over." argued the ninja. "Hojo blew the HQ to pieces. He committed suicide and wiped out whatever plans Rufus and him were planning. Surely there's no way that either of them could've escaped in time. I mean, we had to jump down that awful shaft to get away." she continued with a shudder at the memory. "I can't see Rufus doing something like that no matter how desperate he is."

"_If_ Rufus was even there." muttered Cid and the puzzled attention was turned to him. He met it with knowing stares. "None of us saw Rufus right, I mean what if Hojo just screwed up everyone's brains to make them _think_ that he was there?"

They started as there was a low growl from the corner of the room and Vincent glared at them through red slits.

__

Hojo may have destroyed what little was left of my body but he has not taken my mind. _Rufus was there, I can remember him, I heard him and I smelt him. That was no illusion_ he contended mentally but his thoughts were unheard, only his actions were seen as his three friends began to look uncomfortably at each other.

Eventually Tifa turned to him and he looked back at her blankly. "Cid's not saying that you're lying." she explained. "But you have to admit that it's possible."

Vincent narrowed his eyes but made no move to justify his thoughts as he glanced at the others. _I am not completely dismissing it but I know what I saw... ._

"It's no use just presuming that everything's worked out." Tifa began in an effort to defend Vincent's unspoken opinions. "If Hojo truly was intending on doing such an insane thing as bringing back Sephiroth," she paused and shuddered at the thought. 

Cloud had vaguely filled her in on the plans whilst she tended to him in the main street and the others searched for bodies beneath the housing wreckage. Even now that the brief battle was over, the thought continued scared her. The very possibility that Sephiroth could have been brought back to wreak terror upon an unsuspecting world once more made her body numb and her mind reel. "If he really was going to do that then don't you think that he would've had more protection? We hardly met any signs of life in the HQ and the measly soldiers there couldn't have taken anyone captive, let alone the Turks and two of AVALANCHE."

Her audience of two nodded their heads in grim realisation. All the times that they had created noise enough to declare their presence a mile away they met no resistance. The times that they'd left themselves open to ambush; times when they'd separated and moved around carelessly they'd been perfect to be surprised. It didn't make sense.

"Hojo mentioned Rufus too." added Tifa thoughtfully. "When Vincent killed the only soldier in his lab, Hojo specifically said that he'd warned Rufus not to post any guards. Why would he say something like that if we weren't under his power?"

"I don't want it to, but this is lookin' pretty likely." Cid responded unwillingly. "But what the hell can we do?"

Tifa shrugged. They were looking to her for the answers again when all she could do was make them see. It wasn't easy; she hated taking the responsibility for everyone. She prayed inwardly that Cloud would recover soon. Her heart yearned for him in mind and body; she missed his authority just as she longed for his company. She hated taking charge.

Yuffie yawned and her head began to bow as she lost her fight against sleep and it numbed her muscles and thoughts. Tifa gave her a concerned glance and then looked around the others in the room. Vincent's eyes were half closed and his wings were drawn up tightly around him like a shroud and Cid looked as though he was about to drop off his stool at any second. Tifa sighed.

"For now... we go to sleep. We can talk later when our minds are clear. I'll keep the bar closed tomorrow and we can rest."

Her suggestion was met with understanding nods. Yuffie slumped off her chair and stumbled out of the door and noisily upstairs while Cid gave a wave and sauntered through to the lounge and couch. When the sounds of movement faded out, Tifa slid off her stool and walked over to sit beside Vincent on the floor. He looked down at her with weary interest, exhaustion was obvious on his face and several faint scars that she'd never noticed before that seemed quite fresh covered his arms and torso. She stared at them for a moment, her mind too numb to focus on anything important but she eventually looked up into his gargoylic face.

"How are you feeling?" she asked kindly and he looked down sorrowfully.

__

How am I meant to feel? Before the torture was bad but now I am trapped like this for eternity. At least in a human guise I could pass as being half-normal but never again can I walk the streets at night or hold a conversation without the impending agony burning in my mind. 

My words shall never be spoken and my thoughts closed away more so than before. How am I meant to feel? Hojo's release is only adding to the torment. He offers me a chance at humanity but then rips it from my grasp an hour later. The pain is like nothing I have experienced before and I must do this endless cycle until the end of days...? How **do** I feel...?

He exhaled deeply and she patted his arm. "We're here for you... never forget that." she whispered. "You can stay here as long as you like and you'll never be a burden no matter what your concerns may tell you. If anything, I'm glad you're here Vincent; in whatever form. I just feel safer for having you or any of the others around. Just don't leave us, okay?"

He looked down at her gently and gave a slow nod. She smiled softly at him. "I'll see you in the morning." she added as she stood and left the room in darkness and silence.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

A piercing scream awoke the household the next morning and Tifa leapt from her bed. The lack of sleep was playing achingly upon her limbs but the sound of danger aroused any drowsiness from her muscles until adrenaline flowed though her veins. Without bothering to grab her dressing gown, she tore out of the bedroom and down the stairs where she threw open the kitchen door and leapt through, her fists up and prepared for battle. 

She was met with the sight of Joanne standing in the middle of the tiled floor, a bag of scattered groceries lying around her feet and a terrified expression on her face. She was staring with horrified fear towards a corner to Tifa's left and she flicked her vision towards the source of the alarm to see Vincent in his Chaos form staring back with glittering red eyes. His face was expressionless and his eyes calm almost as though he was expecting such an event. Snapping out of her trance, Tifa moved quickly to stand beside the terrified waitress to comfort her. She put an arm around the young girl's shoulders and with a degree of effort succeeded in taking her through to the bar. Cid entered seconds later, weariness heavy on his face and the Venus Gospel held weakly in his right hand. He peered around the lounge door and his eyes met with Vincent's.

"Was that you?"

Vincent said nothing but flicked his gaze over to the bar door and back.

Cid scratched the back of his head. "Well, I don't s'pose you could keep the whole scaring thing down a bit? I'm about to drop dead here." He shrank back into the lounge shutting the door behind him as Tifa entered the room once more, stretching luxuriously with a wide yawn. She stopped bleary eyed in the centred of the tiled floor and regarded Vincent tiredly.

"Sorry about that, Vincent." she excused. "It was my fault, I should've put up a sign to warn her or something."

The demon nodded in understanding and began to glance around the kitchen with mild interest.

Tifa looked at a clock on one wall opposite her and sighed defeatedly. "Ten o'clock," she murmured with a groan. "I'll never get back to sleep... ."

She walked over to the kettle and proceeded to make herself a mug of black coffee before turning back to him. "Umm... d'you want one?"

He gave a thin-lipped smile; two stark white triangles where bestial fangs hung over his bottom lip were clearly visible and shook his head as she squirmed awkwardly.

"I don't mean to be awful.... But could you make an effort not to look at me as though you're gonna jump up and eat me or something... ." her voice trailed off as he raised an eyebrow.

__

I wasn't intending on eating you. In fact, most people taste awful... . He smiled grimly to himself and buried his head in his knees again, drawing his wings up as a veil once more and attempted to sleep.

As he slipped into unconsciousness, Tifa continued to clatter around the kitchen with little else to do, occasionally checking on her friends to make sure they were all okay. It wasn't until midday and several strong cups of coffee before everyone was once more assembled in the kitchen. An uncomfortable silence settled upon them as it always seemed to do after the events of the past week. It was only natural for them all to have their own opinions on the matters at hand but expressing them always seemed difficult.

Like the previous night, Tifa, Cid, Yuffie and Vincent sat in a square in the kitchen with Cloud asleep upstairs, the weariness of Hojo's touch still overpowering him. He had stubbornly refused any nursing or attention and with a reluctant heart, Tifa had agreed to leave him. Still, despite her outward appearance of calm, she still wrung her hands worriedly and bowed her head in morose contemplation.

"Tifa?" said Cid gently and she lifted her head suddenly, startled by the sudden attention.

"Uh, yeah, s, sure... what were we talking about?" she stuttered awkwardly receiving the amused glances cast in her direction. 

"We weren't talkin' bout anything yet. I thought you told us you wanted to say something." he urged. She had succeeded in waking them with the promise of an announcement. Nothing major, just something that she thought they should hear.

"Oh yeah... ." she responded softly. "It's really nothing important but I just wanted to get it off my chest, y'know?"

They nodded in understanding and she continued.

"I think... I'm praying that Cloud will be okay. He seems fine, just a little tired and Hojo seemed really annoyed when Vincent and me walked in on his experiments. I think that he didn't finish whatever he wanted to do with Cloud so I guess that he'll be alright." She cleared her throat. "I just wanted to say that your help has meant a lot to me, and to him. I want you all to know that I'll be okay to look after him and the last thing I want is for any of you to feel an obligation to stay because he's ill."

"Hell Tifa," exclaimed Cid. "We don't give a shit about his spiky butt. He can take damn good care of himself and if we're stayin' here, its cos of you!" 

Yuffie nodded earnestly with a grin. "Yup. We're here to stay whether you like it or not!"

Tifa opened her mouth to speak but Cid interrupted. "An' before you go all pathetic on me, don't think that we're gonna do nothin' or even barge in on what you wanna do." he said with a stern tone. "We'll let you get on with playin' nurse while me an' Thief will take care of business. From what I've gathered, Vincent did a damn good job of scarin' away your waitress so we can cover for the time bein'."

He stopped and they looked at the proprietress expectedly. After a while, a smile broke out on her face. "Thank you." she answered warmly. "I honestly don't know what I'd do without you all... ."

"You'd go bankrupt, that's what!" Yuffie laughed cheerfully. "Now what do you want us to do?"

Tifa glanced between the pair thoughtfully. "Cid, you'd probably be best tending bar and Yuffie I guess you can cook."

"Cook??" Cid gasped with disbelief. "She'll poison alla your customers!"

"Well," Tifa began smugly as she stood and started making soup. "You're both in charge so it's up to you if something goes wrong."

She flashed them a smile as she ladled some rich chicken soup into a bowl and opened the door to the living area before stepping inside and walking towards Cloud. When her footsteps died out, Cid and Yuffie exchanged ambivalent looks.

"So what do we do now, old man?" Yuffie asked flatly and Cid shrugged.

"Dunno. Guess we should open up."

They left the room and Vincent laughed inwardly before sinking back into feral sleep.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

The next week went quietly both emotionally and business-wise. Many of the local customers to Tifa's bar had given up on trying to get served after the bar's erratic opening and closing times over the previous few days. As a result, Cid and Yuffie ended up drinking more than the paying patrons although not enough to get themselves into any kind of state. Tifa remained closely by Cloud's side tending to him and watching him during his dreams. His brief encounter with Hojo and Rufus had affected him deeply and in delirious sleep he cried out her name and begged the two madmen not to come near him. At one point she almost left the room, tears flowing down old stains prompted by his illness.

In the kitchen, Vincent clutched at his stomach as a clock from somewhere outside chimed the witching hour. With a pained grunt, he lifted himself from the sitting position he'd adopted for the seven days when not in vampiric form and dragged himself to the centre of the room. Stifling his agonised cries by gritting his teeth and firmly holding his wings into himself to prevent them from lashing out and destroying the kitchen as they had done on the first transformation. After a minute of controlled and restricted torture, he stood stiffly and brushed himself down looking upon his hands and body with the look of a man who had rediscovered an old friend. Clearing his throat and resisting whatever vampiric urges stirred within his human body, he walked with silent grace to the bar startling Cid and Yuffie who were laughing and chatting to each other in the closed bar.

"I'm just going out for half an hour." Vincent explained, turning away to prevent any questions being asked without success.

"Oh... er, you goin' out to... umm... ." Cid started awkwardly. "Y'know... ."

"'Be a vampire'?" Vincent inquired, half turning to show only a single red eye. "Yes. I'm afraid that I must."

Yuffie swallowed nervously. "I, It's always good to see you... back to normal."

"Yes... ." Vincent said quietly as he turned back to the kitchen. "I suppose it is."

Without another word, he left the building; closing the back door behind him and disappearing into the night like a shadow. 

When Vincent returned, the others including Cloud had assembled in the bar around one of the small tables. He pulled up a chair and sat to one side in the shadows observing them quietly with ruby eyes. Satisfied that everyone was present, Cloud glanced around them dark shadows beneath his eyes enhancing the vividness of his Mako-blue irises that glowed with more intensity and obviousness. 

"I spoke to Reeve," he began quietly, his voice barely above a whisper but out of respect and concern they didn't object. "He said that the rescue operations are going well and although there have been a few fatalities, everyone's been coping."

The rest of the group nodded solemnly. "So, er, has he said anything about this whole Rufus thing?" Cid asked hesitantly.

Cloud nodded. "He sent a patrol up to the HQ and they took Cait along with them. They found clear evidence that there was a much larger group of soldiers than you could've guessed stationed there. They were all up on floors sixty-eight through to seventy."

"We didn't get up that far." murmured Tifa. "It's possible that they could've hidden."

"Nah, they would've been blown up when the HQ exploded." Yuffie pointed out. "So where have they all gone... this mini army?"

Cloud gave a slight smile. "It's not even an army. The men that went up there estimated that there were only about fifty soldiers stationed there maximum. As for where they are now... Reeve has no idea. I guess that they must've had an escape route."

"Y'mean they knew that Hojo was gonna go kamikaze?" Cid questioned with surprise and Cloud shrugged.

"It looks like they prepared for whatever circumstance. That seems to be the Shinra way." Cloud's voice became quieter but the brief moment of meditation was broken by a wracking cough that shook through his frail body. Tifa glanced at him concernedly but he dismissed her. "I'll be alright. The change of air will do me better than being cooped upstairs all of the time."

She nodded with half-satisfaction at his answer but continued to watch him carefully.

"So what're the plans for now, oh Great Leader?" Yuffie inquired with a child-like grin.

"For now we leave the dirty work to Reeve. There's nothing we can do to help unless we want to get under his feet." Cloud responded with a reluctant sigh. It was obvious that he wasn't overly keen on sitting back and waiting any more than the rest of them were. "Reeve said that as soon as he had any news, he'd get in contact."

"Maybe it wouldn't hurt to do our own investigations." Vincent said suddenly. "While Reeve concentrates on looking for Rufus, I for one would find great pleasure in seeking out Janus. After all, he didn't seem to be in the building at the time of the explosion. There's a possibility he escaped with Rufus and with no more chance of their insane plan to resurrect Sephiroth going ahead without the necessary cells and equipment, I imagine he would've separated from the whole group. If I remember correctly, he always has been one to choose the winning side in a fight. If he saw through Hojo's madness and realised what was going to be the result, he probably left and intended to put everything behind him."

"I guess you'll want to find him, huh?" Cid sighed. "D'you think he'll having any information about your changes?"

Vincent shrugged. "In the long term I am not important. If I find him I'm sure that I can interrogate him and find out the location of Rufus." He looked up at his friends. "Shinra's plans can still go ahead without Sephiroth but with less of a chance of them succeeding. He's probably scheming to find another route to his goal right now."

Cloud nodded in agreement. "Where do you think Janus will be?"

Vincent shrugged. "I'm not sure but I'm certain I can find something of use."

"But what about your transformations? They'll hinder you." Tifa illustrated and Vincent gave her a peculiar stare.

"I'm well aware of that and although I am outwardly shattered, my mind can still work perfectly. My senses will give me advantage in vampiric or demonic form over any... human." he stumbled over the last word. Gathering himself once more, he looked up to meet her uncomfortable gaze which was mirrored in himself and the others. "I can still do something and I refuse to spend the rest of my time acting as a doorstop when I can be beneficial in any way whatsoever."

Tifa tore away from his hypnotic gaze and nodded. "Yeah... I'm sorry, Vincent." she apologised. "Everyone's slipping away from me again." She sighed but lifted her eyes to meet his once more. "When will you be going... and where? Do you want any of us to go with you?"

He shook his head and stood. "I'll go tonight and I shall start looking in the HQ." he paused and looked at Cloud. "Did Reeve say that he'd moved his investigators from the building?" Cloud nodded and he continued. "I'll return in a few days with or without any news but I cannot sit here uselessly for another second."

"See ya Vincent." called Yuffie.

"Take care." smiled Tifa and Cid gave him a wave with a slight smile.

Cloud stood feebly, leaning heavily on the bar table and looked up to him. "Good luck... and I hope you find Janus. He and Hojo... they deserve hell for what they've done."

Vincent gave a curt nod. "And if I lay my hands upon either of them, you can be certain I shall give them exactly that."

Cloud smiled lop-sidedly and waved him off. "Go on." he urged softly. "Don't get into any more trouble."

With one final glance, Vincent walked from the room and once more into the shadow shrouded city; taking with him the oppressive darkness that acted as his aura.

Cid smiled weakly to himself. "I hope that Reeve hasn't left any of his soldiers in the HQ. They'll have one helluva surprise when Vinny gets there."

The others smiled to themselves but said nothing in return until Cloud once more elapsed into a coughing fit. "I think it's time you went back to bed." Tifa mothered gently and he nodded.

"S'pose." he responded grudgingly, standing up with support from the woman by his side. "G'night." he coughed as the couple moved from the bar and into the kitchen. 

In the distance Cid and Yuffie faintly heard the sound of bells chiming one o'clock. The old pilot looked at the watch on his wrist and Yuffie drummed her fingers. After silence clouded the room for a few seconds she sighed indignantly and looked at him.

"How can you stand it?"

"Stand what?" he questioned, his brow furrowed in puzzlement.

"Alla this waiting around. Vincent's gone off to search for clues while Tifa looks after Cloud. Cait and Reeve are busy saving people with the Turks and you an' me are left here to tend bar and look at the tables. Doesn't it make you sick?"

Cid glanced around and eventually sighed and nodded. "Yeah... yeah it does. It's driving me mad but we can't go around barging into what everyone else does. This is what we agreed to do and we can't bail out now."

Yuffie put her hands on her hips. "Jeez, I'd rather be pushing Silvas off me now than stayin' like this for another second!"

"Well what're you gonna do about it?"

She paused and thought for a moment, a broad grin spreading over her impish features as realisation hit her. "I'm gonna help Vinny." she announced triumphantly.

Cid groaned and put a hand to his head. "Yuffie... you really need to stop and think about these things. Tifa really needs us here right now and Vincent probably wants to be left on his own. I sure he can think of better company than a little thief like you."

Yuffie glared at him, but the adventurous spark never left her deep-brown eyes. "I don't care, really I don't. Vincent will probably be glad to have someone to talk, or growl at. I'll just stay real quiet and do a little exploration of my own. He won't even know I'm there. As for Tifa, you said yourself that I can't cook."

"But you're a good waitress!" Cid objected. "I can't deal with this place on my own!"

"Well now that Vinny's gone you can get back the real waitress." She flashed him a happy smile. "See? I do think these things through! Don't worry, everything'll work out great!"

He stared after her, his expression stunned as she skipped upstairs to gather her few belongings. "Bye!" she called as she danced out of the kitchen door and after her unwilling prey like a comical predatory animal.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

As the soft light of a new dawn touched it's golden fingers upon the dreaming Midgar, Vincent landed upon the exposed sixty-eighth floor of the Shinra HQ and stumbled forward to keep his balance. Although flying came instinctively, it appeared he still had much to learn about the finer points. He'd delayed his arrival at the HQ for as long as possible, remaining within the Seven Gardens and taking the time to contemplate and think about his future. As expected, walking came as a problem at first, but the learning curve was quickly climbed and he was soon pacing with the same skill he could normally. The entire sector was generally deserted at nightfall and he was left in peace to meditate upon life. 

After gathering himself, he walked slowly with hidden anticipation to the edge of the destroyed floor to look out upon the sleeping city like a demon ready to pounce upon the unwitting citizens. He remained in his statue-like guise for many minutes looking more the gargoyle he resembled than usual. His glittering ruby eyes surveyed the map laid out before him until the glare of the sun intensified and the buildings opened to give life into the cold morning air and people began to trickle onto the streets. Although they undoubtedly glanced in the direction of the skeletal pillar they were completely oblivious to his presence. The watcher was undisturbed in his tranquillity. 

The faint noise of crumbling rubble and metal alerted him and he pricked up his pointed ears without turning. Either there had been a survivor from the blast or Reeve had neglected to inform AVALANCHE of any remaining patrols scouring the building. He didn't care, let them come. There were two possibilities; they'd shoot him on sight or run away in fear. Whichever way fate dealt him it mattered not. He would find Lucrecia be it in his thoughts or through death and they both seemed the same. At least he had gazed upon a sunrise, his final one that cleansed him of anything else he had done in his long life. He didn't forgive himself and he doubted that he ever would, not that it mattered of course. What was his opinion in the great scheme of things? Who was he to forgive or not to forgive? There was a higher force, perhaps even a divine being who was equipped to make such decisions. He would take whatever hand was dealt to him and at that moment in time he was prepared to sit back and let the die roll against him regardless of the consequences. 

The noise increased in volume until he reluctantly tore his eyes from the light bathed metropolis to face behind him. There was no sign of the hidden intruder and he uncaringly turned back to the landscape. 

__

Oh Lucrecia... . Why did it have to be like this? Trapped in this prison like a tame creature in a cage; wanting to escape but terrified of the world outside. It this how it shall always be? Will we ever be together again or shall you only exist in my thoughts?

I thank the gods that you have finally been given your release but I miss your voice, Lucrecia. Can you hear me as I once heard you? You fear I shan't forgive you but in my eyes there was never anything to forgive. If there was anyone at fault, it was me for interfering. At least I could've succeeded in stopping everything and then our lives would be better.

What Hojo did... it was out of spite. I see that now and if I hadn't been there then you and he may've resolved your differences and you could've helped bring Sephiroth up. You could've been the mother you have always wished to be. 

Oh Lucrecia... you always had so much love within your soul and you wasted it on me. Is that all we were? Blinded by hidden desires and fate or were we always in control and our downfall was the result? Perhaps we'll never know, but I miss you, my love. 

The noise behind him was getting closer and he shuffled the crimson wings upon his back irritatedly; readjusting the black spokes until they once more rested comfortably.

__

The sunrise is beautiful... I wish you could see it. Morning always was your favourite time of day if I remember. In fact... it's one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. I'll appreciate it for us both, huh? He gave a sad smile. _Expressing things has never been one of my strong points. It simply looks like a sunrise, that's all but there is something special about it. Something warming and cleansing. It's been a long time since I've watched one. The last time I believe was during the Meteor Crisis but it was never as wonderful as this. I feel you beside me right now... maybe that's why it seems different. Can you feel it? Something's coming... I hope you'll be with me when it happens. _

"I'm always with you, Vincent."

Lucrecia...??

"Of course. I was listening to you talk... I love the sound of your voice. It reminds me of that summer we spent together in Nibelheim before... . Before everything went wrong."

We watched many dawns and dusks together then, didn't we...?

"Yes... yes we did." A pause. _"Will you take care of him?"_

Who?

"Please... ."

I'll do anything you ask me to do, but what is it?"

Silence was his only answer.

__

L, Lucrecia..............................?

He sighed wearily and his arms drooped. With clear annoyance he turned to face where he predicted his unseen stalker would emerge from; the battered staircase which had provided himself and the others with a route up the previous week. Thinking quickly, he moved hastily but silently on padded feet to a shadow near the door and pushed his back up against the wall. 

Eventually with a pained grunt, the door was thrown open and the intruder was hurled to the ground due to its unexpected opening. They picked themselves up and half-heartedly brushed off the dust and grime off that had accumulated on their dark green tank-top and white shorts. She sniffed unhappily and began to walk away when with a yelp of shock, she found herself being lifted off the ground by the scruff of her top until she was suspended five-foot above the floor. She kicked and swung around furiously in an attempt to lash out and injure her captor but she wore herself out and eventually hung with heavy breaths, her cheeks flustered and her hair tussled. 

With laborious anticipation, she began to turn with her arms and legs hanging down uselessly from exhaustion. When her rotation ceased she found herself staring at a muscled black chest covered in rough skin. As she raised her eyes, they eventually met with a set of scarlet orbs staring back at her in a cattish face that bore resemblance to a demonic gargoyle. She grinned sheepishly but the visage remained impassive.

"Hey there, Vincent." she said cheerfully without reaction. "Umm... thought you might need a hand so I came to help."

The grip was released and she fell to the floor with a thump and cloud of dust leaving her winded and in shock. The demon walked away imperturbably and padded back over to its station on the edge of the shattered level. Yuffie coughed and gasped for air, blinking to rid her eyes of the dirt and grit that had been thrown into them and now covered her face.

Flashing him an angry look but saying nothing, she leapt up achingly and moved over to stand near him, carefully keeping a safe distance from the unpredictable figure.

"So, umm... you found anything yet?" she asked pleasantly and he turned to look at her blankly.

He shook his head and turned back to the landscape. She sniffed but remained unabated by his coldness. "Nice view, huh? I bet you had a good view of the sunrise from here... . The dawns in Wutai were always really nice. The best place to watch 'em from was on the very top of Da-Chao. Hey, I'll have to show you sometime."

She looked back up at him with a smile but his interest now seemed to be directed towards the room behind them. She took a few cautious steps back from the edge of the precarious ledge after grimacing as she looked down, and stared into the room with him.

The walls were badly scorched and burnt furniture and stone littered the floor. Entire rooms had imploded being completely destroyed while she predicted that levels further up were in an even worse shape. In several places the ceiling had collapsed and it was common to see one of the main walls blown away, exposing the stale rooms to the fresh air outside.

"Whadaya hope to find anyway?" she asked inquisitively. "Files? Plans? Books?"

He shrugged and walked away from the open side of the level and into the floor itself, glancing around aimlessly and waiting for something to catch his sharp eyes. Nothing sprang out immediately and with a heavy sigh, he moved over to one of the walls that was still in tact and slumped against it, sitting down with his back against the burnt metal and closing his eyes. 

"Sleep?" she exclaimed with disbelief. "I've come alla the way up here for something to do and you're gonna sleep?"

He reopened a red slit and considered her curiously before closing it once more and drawing his wings around himself. Watching him for a few seconds, she soon found a yawn breaking out on her own face. "I guess I'm pretty tired too." she said wearily.

Without any sign of recognition, she plodded over to his side and sat down, leaning up against him and sighing comfortably from the warmth that her small body received from his own. He looked down at her with raised eyebrows and hesitantly wrapped a huge arm around her shoulders, pulling a wing over her to encompass them both. She smiled softly in her sleep and sighed again contentedly. He almost smiled himself but instead pushed it to the back of his thoughts and forced his mind to clear in order to rest.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Night polluted the crystal blue sky with inky-blackness. A distant clock chimed twelve as an enormous explosion ripped through the still air and tore away at the earth. The planet screamed and the cries of its occupants joined it in a terrible chorus of death. As the cacophony reached a crescendo, the eruption imploded and horrific silence took the place of the roaring detonation as the reactor collapsed in upon itself. 

Sector Two was shattered by the powerful show of fury and as the blast waves radiated outwards with the force of a hurricane, streets and homes were destroyed as with their dying breath, people cursed the gods that had pointed a bloody finger at them. Vincent's screams joined with the horror and as the silence settled once more like the thin blanket of snow that had fallen throughout the day, he fell to the floor in a shivering heap. Yuffie ran over to him, tears in her eyes and she helped him to stand.

He pushed her away with angered determination and strode to edge of the collapsed level to look out over the city.

"Good god..." he whispered in a near silent prayer as his eyes fell upon the source of the destruction.

The Sector Two reactor burned vividly, fuelled by the Mako beneath it as the green liquid spurted upwards in a mesmerising geezer of light taller than the HQ itself. It quickly fell back down and the flames erupted upwards with another huge bang. Vincent stumbled back, almost falling into Yuffie as the searing winds blasted towards them like flares carrying death upon their ripples. As the furious gale became a whisper, they leapt up again and looked back over hell. Where there had once been homes and buildings now only lay a blackened, charred plain with glowing rocks turned magma by the heat and pressure. The skeletons of streets now jutted wickedly from the scorched earth and fires burnt like hellish beacons across the black expanse.

Yuffie began to sob quietly as she put her hands over her face and wept into them. "All of those people, all of those people..." she chanted in a soft murmur over and over again. Overcome by sadness and dismay, she dropped to her knees and tears fell down her cheeks falling onto the rusty metal floor. 

Vincent stood rigidly; his jaw set in defiance as screams of anguish and pain only audible to him breathed across whipped wind and whispered unspeakable tortures into his ears. Although his outward appearance was stiff and cold, tears began to mist his own vision until with a low growl, he turned and blinked them back with anger. Although his eyes were clear, his soul cried for the waste and his heart wept for the loss.

He bent down to look into Yuffie's eyes as he gently tilted her head up to face his. "Come on," he said softly. "We should see if everyone's all right."

She nodded and he helped her to stand as they silently left the barren room.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Holy shit! What the fucking hell was that??" yelled Reno as he leapt off his chair into a standing position; the earthquake like rumblings booming through the contained and comfortable room.

Elena sprang up from the couch in Reeve's Office and sprinted to the window to gaze out upon the city. She lifted the glass and covered her eyes quickly as a burning wind tore through the narrow gap, screaming like a steam-train and hurling all of the piles of neatly stacked paper around the room in a torrent of confusion. When the noise faded out, she once more pulled herself up and looked with wide mouthed horror upon the devastation. The Midgar Offices that stood near the old Shinra HQ in Sector Three had narrowly escaped the destruction of their neighbouring town. Nonetheless, many of the buildings lying on the fringe of Sector Three had fared badly against whatever force had literally melted the next-door section of the massive city. 

"It looks like Judgement Day's arrived..." Rude muttered from by her side. 

She looked up at him. Bandages were wrapped around his head as signs of their brush with past enemies. His sunglasses still had a place however perched on the bridge of his nose as always and his new suit was if anything more pristine than the one before. His face seemed to crack momentarily under the stress of seeing such a terrible sight and she felt a nudge on her right arm. Turning her head she found herself looking into Reno's sea-green eyes. He blinked and looked away to the city, inhaling sharply through his teeth.

"Godamnit." he hissed. "What the hell happened?"

"Looks like there was an explosion." Rude stated with disbelief. " Look, the Mako reactor's been destroyed."

They remained in silence for a short time, the sounds of the aftermath from the destruction carrying faintly on the wind. All three of the Turks sank into morose contemplation until Reno turned and put a hand to his forehead over the large plaster that had been put there to cover the burn. He swore loudly as he accidentally put pressure onto it and strode away from the window to Hades. He began to mutter curses under his breath as he paced backwards and forwards, wringing his hands worriedly.

"What is it, Reno?" Elena asked eventually and he ceased all movement and regarded her with startling insanity in his eyes.

"The bastard did it." he answered cryptically and the female Turk frowned.

"Who? What are you talking about?"

"Rufus of course, you moron!" he yelled angrily and she was physically taken aback by the ferocity in his voice. "Rufus... he's the only one who'll have something to do this. He said to us himself that he was gonna blow up the city and we wrote him off. Maybe he wasn't joking after all... ." he began to pace again with the determination of a madman. "Why didn't we listen?? He always was a crazy son-of-a-bitch when we worked under him but he always kept his word. This is his doing. I'd bet my life on it.

"We should've set up security, posted extra guards and watched the city twenty-four hours a day." He stopped and punched the wall with a painful crack. "DAMNIT!!" he screamed. "We could've stopped this!"

"Reno, please..." Elena begged but he stormed away to the exit and put a hand on the doorknob.

"Where are you going now?" Rude inquired concernedly and Reno stared back at the pair.

"I'm gonna go and find Shinra." he announced firmly.

"You can't do that!" Elena gasped. "He'll be long gone by now, he's probably set up timers in all of the reactors or something."

Reno shook his head and Rude moved to stand next to the red-haired Turk. "You haven't worked under him as long as we have, sis. You don't know what the guy's like. He loves the glory, all of the attention. He'll be there, he'll be setting those bombs personally so that he can bear witness to Reeve when he goes to grovel for the city's safety. He wouldn't miss an opportunity like this."

Elena swallowed and looked to the stoic counter-part to Reno who simply nodded. "He's right. Rufus will be there and he's probably expecting us. We can't disappoint him."

Elena gave a crooked smile. "Another Turk rule? You guy's never let things like this drop..."

"It's called 'keeping a date' and right now we're runnin' late. You gonna join the train or jump it?" Reno asked as he opened the door and stepped through.

She pulled a pistol from inside her jacket and clicked off the safety. "I'm ready when you are." she replied stiffly and they left the cosy office to enter the inferno beyond.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Cloud sat up in bed, his eyes wide and staring in fear. Tifa jerked awake beside him, an expression of terror matching his own on her delicate moonlit features. 

"An earthquake...?" she asked rhetorically as the shaking of the room died down. Several ornaments that had been house-warming presents on an old wooden cabinet trembled across the polished surface and shattered on the carpeted floor. She jumped at the sharp sound and slipped from beneath the sheets to look out of the window. 

From her home in Sector Six the result of the bang was not visible but her brow creased in puzzlement at the sight of a vivid orange glow on the horizon.

"What is it, Teef?" Cloud asked weakly from the bed.

"I'm not sure." she murmured in reply. Looks like there's a fire or something."

"A fire...?" he repeated wistfully, thoughts racing through his weary mind. "Where?"

"I think it's on the other side of the city."

"Sector Three?"

"Yeah... mebbe Two." she finished uncertainly. "I hope that Reeve's alright." she sighed and sat back on the bed, her muscles tensed despite her efforts to remain calm in order to keep Cloud at ease. "It's probably just a bonfire or something."

"The explosions?"

She shrugged. "Fireworks?" 

He shook his head. "No, it was something more than that. What can you see?"

She turned back to him. "I told you, it's nothing to worry about. The sky's just orange, that's all."

He put a clammy hand on her bare shoulder and gently pushed her to one side. She clenched her jaw and watched as his already fearful eyes grew larger. "T, Tifa?" he said frightfully.

"Yes, Cloud?"

"C, Can you remember Nibelheim... when it was... burnt down...?" he stumbled, the words sticking in his throat as he swallowed anxiously but kept his eyes on the glowing hue in the dark clouds overhead.

She put a warm hand over his own and stroked it reassuringly. "Don't worry Cloud, please I'm sure that it's just-"

"Don't play dumb with me!" he snapped angrily, pulling away from her. "The sky, it was the same colour that it is now. I, I can still hear the screams in my ears, Tifa. I can still remember the fires-"

"No Cloud!" Tifa begged tearfully. "D, Don't say it. Please don't say it!"

"I can still remember Him." Cloud ended solemnly and Tifa began to sob into her hands.

"Oh God no. Don't let it be. Hojo's dead... so is He. This can't be happening. It's just an accident! It _has_ to be an accident!" she cried aloud but he ignored her with grim determination and threw back the covers from his frail form. 

"I can hear Him calling to me." he muttered. "Only he would do this. Only He could do so much harm in such a terrible way. Sephiroth...? Is that you? You'll pay for this, by the gods you'll die again and again until I have had my justice!"

He stepped weakly from the bed but overcome by anger and resolve, he strode from the room after pulling on his SOLDIER uniform into the hall leaving Tifa in a tearful heap curled on the bed. 

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Give me that man

That is not passion's slave and I will wear him

In my hearts core, ay, in my heart of hearts."

Hamlet, 3 ii


	8. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

by Lucrecia Marionette

__

~Chapter 8~

'Face Values'

_____________________________________________________________

"Whoa! Hey, Vinny wait up!" yelled Yuffie as she ran after the rapidly disappearing figure before her down the outside of the Shinra HQ.

"No time..." answered a voice from the darkness.

"Well... why don't you just bite me or something?"

The clicking of footsteps stopped completely and as she turned the corner she noticed Vincent watching her; red slits above the neck of his collar beneath a tangle of jet-black hair that was being swept around wildly by the strong wind. 

"You know Yuffie," he began emotionlessly. "That has got to be one of the most stupid things I think I've ever heard you say."

She opened her mouth to object but with inhuman speed, he turned on his heel and bolted down the spiralling railway line. She put her hands on her hips and glared after where he'd faded away. The clicking of his boots continued to reach her ears until they were finally muffled in the small blizzard of snow that was steadily increasing as the night drew on. She shivered as one of the tiny crystals melted on her skin and with obvious reluctance began to follow him without the driving determination. 

It wasn't long until her feet touched the soft white blanket that was now lying in place of the lush green Sector Seven grass. The HQ stood behind her, masked by the thickening sheets of white as they fell from heaven to earth with beautiful yet deadly consequences. 

She moved out from the shadow of the building cast down by the silver moon that hung in the sky like a pearl over the slumbering city. The eerie light played upon the snow giving the impression of a field of silver until the initial beauty was pushed to one side by the biting coldness. She trembled from the icy wind and walked further into the plain of white squinting against the freezing element.

"Vincent!" she called, her voice instantly muffled by the thick snow. "Vincent?"

She paused and waited for an answer or some sign without avail. Muttering angry curses to herself she glanced around. The snow now blinded her in all directions and the only object visible was the faint outline of a dark tree in the distance. Swallowing hard, she strode towards it, the ferocious wind pushing her back two steps for her one. In the end, she gave up and flopped down onto the hidden grass, not caring that the ice was melting and soaking into her shorts and top. She stared up to the sky where it seemed like there was a tunnel of white all around allowing her only a glimpse of the black expanse ahead. It felt as though she was being buried beneath the gentle sheets of soft snow and she closed her eyes in sleep. Her joints ached from the severe cold but it didn't really matter. The snowflakes were mesmerising and insanely angelic, taking away her worries for a moments' peace.

A dark shadow fell over her and against her feeble objections, she was gently lifted from her icy bed and hoisted into the sharp air. There was a jolt and then the wind seemed to increase in its force as it blew towards her and whistled past her ears with soothing songs of life.

Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and gasped in wonder as she looked down upon the world that was quickly becoming smaller and further away as she rose above it and it travelled at an incredible speed. Wonder made way for panic and she began to struggle without reason as the sight of the lack of solid earth beneath her feet became overpowering. However, strong arms kept her in place and when she turned to look at her captor, she saw an impassive gargoylic face staring with vehement concentration on what lay ahead. Red eyes glittered like rubies beneath a harsh brow and she smiled weakly to herself.

"You took your time." she said and the beast's eyes momentarily flicked to her face before giving a slight smile in reply and looking straight ahead once more. "I hope you know how to land." she continued half-conversationally. "I mean things could get pretty messy if you don't."

He remained expressionless and with a shrug, she turned her head to look towards their destination. A breath caught in her throat as the lines of houses and streets broke suddenly as they sailed over a vast wall that in turn gave away to a scene painted from hell. They were now passing over what was left of Sector Two in all of its hellish glory. Heaps of metal and rubble lay smouldering like lava across where there had once been happy chatter and normal people going about their everyday life. Skeletons of buildings stood precariously around awaiting a slight force to push them and cease their pointless stand. Fires dotted the barren, burnt out landscape and smoke rose up like black serpents reaching up to pollute heaven. 

Vincent's flight slowed as he drifted lazily on the thermals rising from the scorched earth and he surveyed the site with expert instincts. Picking out a relatively flat piece of land, he swooped down as low as he dared to and brought his legs under him in order to hit the ground running. He held the young ninja tightly and padded feet touched upon the dead land and he ran to catch up with his momentum. Eventually, with wings wide open he came to a gradual halt and peered around. He bent and Yuffie slid from his grip and stepped lightly to the ground, a cold shiver running up her spine at the desecration of someone's final resting-place.

"I don't like it here." she whispered and Vincent gave her a glance.

He turned after a second's thought and began to walk into the shimmering air that was so hot it was within a permanent heat haze. Yuffie stared after him and marvelled temporarily how at home he appeared; like a demon returning to its home in the very depths of Hades. She gave a shuddering sigh and trotted after him, his slow long strides easily outmatching her smaller quick ones. She eventually caught up with him and held onto his wing like a child trying to gain comfort from a blanket. She stayed close to him simply feeling infinitely safer for having his presence nearby. After a long time of walking, they found themselves standing next to what had once been the Sector Two reactor.

"Do we have to go in?" Yuffie asked quietly with obvious fear and Vincent shook his head.

__

Whoever did this is not going to be inside. We should find everyone else. They'll know what to do. Perhaps they've gone to the next reactor. He stopped and looked in either direction; to his right stood Sector Three and to his left stood Sector One. _Which one do we go to, though?_

He stood back and thought for a few more minutes before making a decision. Although it was unfamiliar and in a sense instinctive, he felt something calling him, almost like it was asking him to go somewhere. Left or right? He sighed irritably, whatever wanted him was going to have to answer a few questions first. He attempted to call out to Yuffie but it came out as nothing more that a throaty growl and the girl spun around to face him with alarm on her face.

"What is it? Y, You're not gonna eat me are you??"

He rolled his eyes and knelt down on the ashy ground. She stared at him quizzically until realisation dawned on her and she skipped over to him. He lifted her effortlessly off the ground and with a powerful leap and flap of massive, bat-like wings was aloft. He hovered until certain of his bearings and then beat the wings again and flew through the stifling air towards his destination. 

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Cloud, where are we going?" Tifa asked the warrior breathlessly as she ran after him but he didn't answer immediately. 

Tifa was astonished at the sudden change. Only an hour before he had been a sickly young man lying in a bed drenched in sweat. Now though, he was the proud fighter that she had seen in him during the Meteor Crisis. His steps were strong and determined and he held the Ultima Weapon high like a warning beacon to any who dared stand in his way. 

"I'm going to find Sephiroth." He answered flatly. "I've told you that you don't need to come if you don't want to."

She bowed her head and her steps halted for a brief second until she darted after and held onto his arm, forcing him to stop and face her. "Cloud, Sephiroth is dead. There must've just been a random explosion. It had to happen sometime."

He stared at her blankly, the bright blue mako eyes appearing so cold and ice-like, just like His. "He is here Tifa. I don't care if you think I'm mad, o, or crazy. I can't explain it... I just... _know_."

"But he's dead!" she protested and his eyes continued to bore into hers even after he broke free from her grasp and pulled away to start walking away once more. "Stop this madness! Please!" she cried tearfully but he didn't even afford her a glance.

__

It seems that the past is stronger than love she mused solemnly to herself as she watched him walk into the shadows. A single tear ran down her face and fell to the cobbled road of Sector Three breaking the endless silence that had stood since the initial blast from Sector Two. She smiled grimly to herself. If she started thinking any more like Vincent then she'd don a red cloak the next day. Cloud's footsteps were slowly fading, enveloped by the calling night that was begging her to join it within its murky depths. 

All at once the monotony of black that stretched on before her was broken as snow began to fall in increasing amounts from the skyward darkness. The street was one way and left no routes to the imagination. She couldn't have lost Cloud yet and driven on by her own depressing thoughts and the chill, she sprinted after him with renewed determination. 

She chased him along the wide main-street following his rapidly fading prints in the snow before they were swallowed by the thickening whiteness, taking her hope with them. Her eyes firmly on the ground beneath her feet she almost collided with the ex-SOLDIER as he stood before the abandoned reactor with '3' painted in fifty-metre tall numbers on all its sides.

The massive obelisk stood undisturbed from the day that Meteor had torn through the once prosperous city. The impressive dark-metallic blue monolith was deathly silent and the aura of old lives and the old ways still clung around its massive frame like a shroud. A chill crept up her spine as ghosts of the people murdered by the catastrophe screamed in her ears as the wind howled through broken windows and pipes.

"Are you coming with me?" asked a low voice. 

She turned to look at Cloud, her body tensed with fear and trepidation. "I'd go to hell with you and back. You know I would." she answered truthfully with firm resolution and he smiled.

His expression turned hard however as he looked back at the huge structure.

"Are you sure about this Cloud?"

"You don't believe me?"

"No... It's not that. I, I just don't _want_ to believe it... ."

A strong arm slid over her shoulders and pulled her close to him. He gently kissed the top of her head. "Y'know," he started in an almost inaudible whisper. "I've never told you how beautiful you are... ."

She blushed and bit her bottom lip.

"Can you believe what a jerk I am?" he continued rhetorically. "I almost died and I was prepared to go to the grave without ever seeing your face again and knowing how I feel in my heart."

Her eyes began to well once more as the threat of terrible death and sorrow at the foot of the building simply melted away.

"I, I hope that I'm not gonna jump straight in here and ruin everything we're achieved in our lives... but... I have to say something before we go in." Her fists clenched in preparation and her heart fluttered as it never had before in anticipation. "Tifa Lockheart," he began in a soft whisper. "I am hopelessly in love with you." 

She dared a smile as the one man who had held the key to her heart for a lifetime made her complete. Her world shattered and reformed into a beautiful new picture that told of ageless love and the wonders of a universe undiscovered. All her life she had been waiting for those words to pass his lips and now the time had come; she only regretted that she had not heard them before then, before they walked into uncertainty.

"In Nibelheim even when we were kids I always knew that we would be together. I'd always admired you from afar like some goal that I just couldn't reach but now... now I'm starting to see how much I need you." he kissed the top of her head again and her hands held tightly to his arm. "I need you right now more than I do this sword or this strength. From now on Tifa... I want you to be my weapon and my guide. I'll put anything I have with you without exception and I want us to be together forever. I know it's taken me so long to tell you this but I really do love you."

"Oh Cloud." she whispered. "Thank you, thank you, thank you..."

He didn't have time to reply before she turned and threw her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to kiss her. She pressed his lips to her own and he gave into her as he moved his arms up her back and held her closer in the chilling yet beautiful snow.

It was over too quickly and they pulled away looking deeply into each other's eyes as if seeing them truly for the first time. Cloud's endless blue depths and Tifa's warm and caring burgundy blurred occasionally by a snowflake as it drifted across their vision. They were so perfect together. It was pure stupidity that had kept them apart for so long. They held each other for another few seconds before looking back to the nightmarish monument of the reactor that was the contrast to their previous moment of harmony.

"Where you go, I follow." Tifa announced and his hand found her own.

They stood in blissful silence until there was the soft sound of wind over the muffling snow. Cloud looked up first, his enhanced abilities allowing him to hear the odd sound marginally before Tifa who seconds later copied him. The sound, whatever it was, was getting closer by the second and was gradually discernible as a flapping. Before they could react, the whiteness above them was momentarily obliterated as a shadow passed overhead and they followed it through the sky. Their eyes came to rest on a massive creature as it landed silently in front of them on the snow-covered road. Crimson wings beat powerfully until it was steadied and it eventually knelt down and released its cargo. A young yet recognisable figure jumped from the black demon's grip and skipped over to them.

"Hello," she grinned. "I don't suppose you guys have any idea what's happening?"

Cloud's eyes flicked from Yuffie to Vincent who was staring transfixed at the reactor, his back facing the group of three. He looked back at her. "I'm not too sure but I have a terrible feeling that..." his voice trailed off and Vincent turned back to look at him.

__

You feel it as well? A strong sense of power... something familiar. Something... dangerous but not quite complete... . The demon sighed and walked silently towards them, his red eyes still glancing occasionally at the monument behind him.

"What do you mean?" asked Yuffie, irritated at the long pause. Her voice lowered and she moved closer to the AVALANCHE leader. "To be honest, Vincent's been acting kinda weird. Has it got anything to do with that?"

Cloud shrugged. "I don't know but perhaps it is." he scratched the back of his head. "I, I'm pretty sure that... Sephiroth's in there."

Yuffie's eyes widened alarmingly. "Y, You're kidding me! I thought he was dead!"

"He is." interrupted Tifa softly. "But Cloud has a feeling."

"It's not just a feeling. I, I can hear Him... calling me." he ended wistfully. "Hojo said that they were gonna recreate Him. Who's to say that they didn't succeed? Rufus and Janus were never found in the wreckage of the explosion. Maybe, just maybe this is their doing."

"No shit, Sherlock," said a voice from the shadows.

Cloud held up the Ultima Weapon and Yuffie whipped out her shuriken, eyes darting warily around the darkness, looking for a glimpse of the silent intruder. Tifa widened her stance while Vincent stood calmly, staring into the liquid darkness with penetrating eyes as they focused on the stranger.

Eventually a red-haired, blue suited man stepped out of the corner with his nightstick shouldered comfortably. He looked around the small group, his gaze lingering worriedly on Vincent. Satisfied, he looked back to the shadows. "Alright guys, it's safe." he announced to AVALANCHE's puzzlement until two more people stepped out from behind him.

"You took your time." Cloud commented dryly. "I take it you've come to the same conclusion?"

Reno nodded. "It makes sense. I'm not too sure about the whole 'back-from-the-dead' thing, but this all reeks of Rufus."

"You think that they've succeeded in bringing Sephiroth back?" Elena asked Cloud and the warrior nodded.

"Rufus plans these things, but he'd never press the button himself. I know only one person who'd do something so terrible."

Reno fell into solemn silence and looked down at the floor.

"I'm sorry Reno." apologised Cloud. "I didn't mean-"

Reno waved a dismissive hand. "It's alright." he excused quietly. "I've done a lot of things I'm not proud of." he paused and looked up, his sea-green eyes burning intensely. "I'd _never_ do it again. _Never."_

Cloud nodded. "Yeah, sorry bout that." an uncomfortable silence elapsed. "I meant Sephiroth." Cloud finished as he raised his head. "There is one who would do something as terrible as this after everything that has happened and that's Sephiroth. I, I just have this feeling that I used to get whenever he was around like... like someone's gripping onto my heart and they're refusing to let go." to illustrate his point, he balled his fist and put it over his chest. "And it's not just that. I hear Him whispering to me and telling me to come to him."

There was an electric whining as Reno charged up his nightstick and it flickered with a bright blue. "Well, we don't want to disappoint him now do we?"

Everyone smiled but it fell from their faces as the faint sound of voices emanating from the reactor drew their attentions back to the terrible task at hand.

"Where's Cid?" Yuffie asked quietly.

"He's asleep." explained Tifa with a weak smile. "It'll take more than an explosion to wake _him_ up."

Yuffie smiled and with a nod from the leader, the group slowly began to sift in through the giant doorway to the reactor, Cloud at the lead with Vincent bringing up the rear. They walked silently in single file through the doors and along the mazes of pipes and confusing tunnels, the sounds of voices chattering and whispering in the shadows following them with every turn. Wary eyes darted from left to right in hope of catching a glimpse of their tormentors but no salvation came and they eventually stood at the start of a vast bridge that spanned from the control room to the core of the once thriving machinery. Sharp eyes stared at the end of the narrow span as they came to a unanimous halt. Grips on weapons increased and sweat began to bead on their brows as they sought for a target. 

With pain-staking slowness, the shadows at the end of the catwalk began to move as if they had a life of their own. The darkness gave birth to two distinct figures, both dressed in white; one in a wheel chair, the other standing. The one in a wheel chair gave a cheery wave and with violent muttering, Cloud strode forward onto the bridge with strong steps. The others followed with reluctance until he stopped at the halfway mark, murder gleaming in his blue eyes. 

"How nice of you to finally show up." Rufus said pleasantly, dangerous undertones to his voice. "You and your little freak-show."

"Shut up you stupid moron!" Cloud yelled. "This has gone too far."

"No Cloud, it has not gone far enough. Reactor Two was only the start. By the way, did you like my little bomb? It was so much more advanced than your pathetic AVALANCHE attempt when you blew up Reactor One. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say it was more damaging the Reno's little plate trick." 

Reno glowered at his former employer but held his tongue. 

"Anyway," Rufus continued idly with gloved hands drumming along the barrel of his shotgun. "I was hoping that you'd come later. After all, I've only had the chance to destroy one sector and I really was hoping to get half the city done by dawn." he sighed forlornly. "Ah well, nothing ever seems to go to plan."

"A shame," spoke the man that stood behind the head of Shinra, clearly recognisable as Janus. "After I spent all that time creating those bombs and now we shall never use them."

"Oh, my heart bleeds for you," Yuffie spat. 

"How could you do this?? All of those people for god's sake. You destroyed an entire sector!" Tifa cried in disbelief. "In AVALANCHE I did a lot of things that I wasn't proud of but we never harmed that many! Never!"

"The night's only just begun," grinned Rufus. "I want to have my fun and so I will. I'm guessing that Reeve hasn't sent you here on a surrender mission, hmm?"

"You've gotta be outta your fucking mind if you think we're going to give up to a shit-head like you!" yelled Reno furiously. 

Rufus became contemplative. "Good, good," he said over arched fingers. "You know, I'm glad that you said that because there's a new toy that I've just been _dying_ to use."

Before AVALANCHE and the Turks could react, a black shapeless mass dropped from the ceiling and fell landing with silent feet onto the bridge. All breathing ceased for an eternity as the mass began to become more discernible as a human form hunched into a crouching position. It slowly rose up from the floor clothed utterly in black from boots to gloves and a river of silver hair ran down his back. Thin lips turned upwards in a cruel smile and bright aqua eyes stared out over the evil gesture to glare confidently at the group.

Cloud's breath stuck in his throat and the grip on the hilt of his sword became weaker and weaker until it clattered uselessly to the metal floor. He gasped for air but his body was completely paralysed through fear, loathing and total horror. Behind the tall man there was movement as Janus limped up to stand beside him. Janus was tall but the silver-haired man towered over him further, a dominating figure that even struck fear into the scientist's heart. Masking his foreboding, Janus stood beside him and smirked at the group assembled before him.

"I would like you to meet Hojo's latest and greatest creation." he said with obvious triumph. "I believe that he may be familiar to you all?"

"Holy shit," breathed Elena. "S, Sephiroth??"

"Oh God." gasped Yuffie, her voice rising to a higher pitch. "What the hell have you done??"

"We have made a god who is prepared to serve us even to his death." Janus replied smugly. "If we asked him to plunge his own sword into his heart he would do so. He is totally under our power and as such will do as we say."

"You can't do this." Cloud said eventually after finding the means to talk. "You can't control someone like him. He'd turn around and kill you if he wanted to! You hold no grip over him and it'll be your deaths when you discover that!"

He knelt down and lifted the Ultima Weapon feeling safer for having the powerful sword within his grasp. 

Sephiroth blinked slowly as he observed the group. He was aware that words were being exchanged but he wasn't grasping them or even making an effort to comprehend them. He found his eyes being drawn inexplicably towards a huge dark form standing at the back of the line. He didn't recognise the people that stood before him, he was only aware of the fact that the man in the wheel chair and the scientist with the limp had informed him they were here to kill him. He wasn't in any mood for dying after only experiencing remembered life for a few days and so would stop them in their plans. They certainly had enough weapons and hatred in their malicious glares to destroy him and he found himself easily believing the stories he'd been fed. However, still his eyes were pulled towards the creature at the back of the group. Red, eerily human eyes stared back at him intensely with unnerving strength. It felt as if they were staring straight through him and into his very soul. He knew nothing about himself but this, this demon appeared to know more about him than he ever could hope to. He swallowed and hoped to avoid the gaze without luck. Everywhere he turned the eyes were printed before him until with an angry growl, he glared back at the beast. 

Taken aback for a brief second he was startled to find himself hearing words. These weren't the harsh words being exchanged by the arguing parties; these were different. They seemed softer, more lulling and full of emotions he'd never felt before. Or had he? He couldn't remember. He was starting to get another headache. Ever since coming into consciousness he'd been experiencing terrible migraines started by the slightest things that didn't seem to mean anything at all. First was when he was handed the long sword that was now strapped to his belt. The second had been meeting the two men that claimed to be his friends and the third was now. There was something disturbingly familiar about the people before him, but that could just be from the fact that they had been chasing him across the world for the past few years... or so the two men had said. 

They told him that they had found him barely alive on the outskirts of the demonic city and only just saved him. It was only natural that he should feel amnesia after such a terrible beating. He was exactly what they needed to pursue their dreams of eliminating the city and freeing the world from the evil grasp of the people that had come to kill him now. It made sense, why else would they be here with such murderous intent? But something was nagging at him and telling him to shut his ears against the lies. He knew he should, but the only problem was; which were the lies and which were the truths?

There was the voice again. It wasn't a voice, so much as knowledge of what was being felt. The knowledge turned to words and the words turned to phrases.

__

"Can you hear me...?"

Hear? Who? What the hell was going on?

__

"Sephiroth. Your name is Sephiroth. Son of Lucrecia, can you hear me?"

Lucrecia? Who the hell was Lucrecia? Sephiroth, so that was his name? The men had never told him what it was and he never thought to ask. Things like that didn't occur to him in the face of pure confusion. 

__

"You are the son of Lucrecia."

That voice again. It was beginning to annoy him now, talking about things he knew nothing about. 'Son of Lucrecia'? Well, it seemed that whoever Lucrecia was, she was his mother. Mother... . That was an eerily familiar word. Lucrecia... . Images were conjured up of a beautiful face watching him from the wall of life. 'Wall of life'? What was that? A face... It was crying, a female face, her voice calling to him across the barriers he'd set up around himself. Barriers? Why would he set up barriers and what had he done? Who was trying to harm him... or was he preventing _himself_ from harming others?

__

"Sephiroth, listen to me. I'm sure that you can hear me but you must be willing to learn. You are being manipulated. Turn away from the men that claim to be your friends. Break free from them."

Sephiroth laughed inwardly. "A_nd join you all? You are trying to kill me."_

"I do not know what lies have been told to you but we will not hurt you if you trust us. The two men are Rufus Shinra and Dr. Janus. Both of them have harmed you and abused you so many times in the past as they have me. They have resurrected you and are using your vulnerability to their advantage. I'm not asking you to go anywhere against your will but you are going down the same path you did before if you allow yourself to be taken in by fake promises and lies."

Sephiroth frowned. "The same path as before?" 

The voice when it answered appeared at the back of his mind. He wasn't sure how or even why but he found his gaze directed towards the black demon. For some reason, the voice seemed to naturally pair with the gargoylic creature despite its nightmarish guise and the voice's humanity. 

__

"What do you mean? Why are you hounding me?"

For a moment he saw pain flicker across the ruby irises of the monster's eyes. _"There is much to tell and I haven't the time to explain it to you now. Please, I don't want to force you into anything but you have to trust me. The lives of the millions in this city depend on it!"_

Something clicked inside Sephiroth. The demon, the black hellish apparition actually mentioned the people of the city; he talked of their lives as opposed to his own. Not even the supposed 'kindly' strangers in the forms of the two men that had 'rescued' him had shown any concern towards the massive loss of life the detonation of the bombs would entail. 

Right or wrong, truth or lie, the creature was more bothered by everyone else that itself, it even seemed to care about _his_ life over it's own. He remembered nothing, but there were millions of questions that he knew could be answered if he only acted on instinct and threw caution to the wind for the sake of what he _felt_ was right rather than what he was _told_ was right.

The arguing voices were reaching a crescendo now and their sounds were beginning to take on more meaning. They were talking about him, that much was clear but the one with blonde spiked hair was talking of terrible, heinous crimes that he was meant to have done. The burning of an innocent village, the conscious murder of a young woman and the willing destruction of the planet. How could he have done all of those things when he couldn't even remember his own name? Something within him stirred and he found his right hand gripping with expert practice the hilt of his long sword. Although not much was clear in a collection of muddled memories and blurred images as he felt the smooth handle beneath his black leather glove the word 'Masamune' suddenly sparked into his mind. That was the sword's name, the Masamune. How did he know that? According to the two men, this was the first time he'd use the sword. But somewhere deep down he recalled the single word and he found a part of himself... .

With the smooth sound of metal against metal, he unsheathed the sword and held it out before him. The vast room fell silent as all eyes rested on him.

"Are you ready to end the lives of those who have chased you for so long?" asked Janus seriously giving the tall warrior a pat on the shoulder but he stumbled back in alarm as a pair of aqua eyes, glowing bright with fury stared at him. 

"Lies!" he hissed.

"Wh, What?" stuttered Janus as he took a few cautious steps back. "What are you talking about?"

"What is my name?" Sephiroth asked in a low tone.

"Y, Your name? Er, it's S, Sephiroth." Janus answered.

__

So, the demon hadn't lied about that. 

"Why am I here?"

"Why are you here? To get rid of this awful city and release the world from the grip of your enemies. If you blow up these reactors then you'll kill them and any sign of the one's that have hurt you for so long." Rufus answered calmly. 

"You are Rufus Shinra." Sephiroth asked. It was more of a statement than a question and the man he addressed nodded. Sephiroth looked around while AVALANCHE and the Turks exchanged puzzled expressions. The demon at the back watched the scene with cool satisfaction. 

"This reactor... it has 'Shinra' written all over it." his icy gaze flicked from the core to the man in the wheel chair. "This belongs to you."

Rufus swallowed nervously but strived to remain outwardly calm. "I don't have time to explain this to you. Kill them, now."

Sephiroth lowered his sword. "No."

"No??" repeated Rufus in shock. "How dare you go against my order!"

"I do not take orders from a liar. I don't take orders from _anyone_." Sephiroth responded coldly. "You have not told me everything. As a matter of fact, I don't think that anything you have told me has any truth within it."

Janus glanced between his boss and creation warily, uncertainty governing his actions. 

"Sephiroth, kill them." Rufus ordered in a quiet voice. "This is no longer about what's right and what's wrong. If you want to survive, you need to dispatch of them. Kill or be killed."

Heavy silence fell upon the chamber and when it was finally broken; the observers found their hearts stopping and their minds reeling through pure confusion and wonder.

"Then I choose death." Sephiroth replied firmly and shocked gasps rang around the core as eyes widened and the outside world became irrelevant. 

The world slowed as life took on an unnaturally listless pace. There was a loud click as Janus reached into his lab coat and withdrew his hand holding a small revolver. Tifa cried out in horror and Sephiroth spun, the Masamune still in his grasp. The long blade flailed out and sliced through Janus' neck without a single jolt. 

The scientist fell back and slipped over the bridge railings into the Mako that shimmered far below with a loud splash. They stared over the side of the catwalk with horrified expressions and his dark silhouette was printed into the their vision before it was swallowed up by the glowing liquid. 

Another gunshot burst their dream-like observations and they lifted their heads in time to see Sephiroth plunge his sword into Rufus' chest. The head of Shinra gasped and all blood drained from his face as it leaked from his thin sword wound and began to spread across his white jacket. Sephiroth stumbled back, one hand clutching his chest and the other grasping his weapon and withdrawing it from its fleshy sheath. 

Rufus fell forward in his chair with a blood-curdling cry and tumbled to the floor, his smoking shotgun clattering next to him. Sephiroth cried out and bent double as the sword slipped from his grasp and blood started dripping to the metal floor. Before the others could react, he fell backwards over the bridge railings to join Janus in his grave of lifestream.

The world exploded into real time once more and they leapt to the edges to peer down and watch the dramatic event. 

Sephiroth fell through the air without a thought in his head. The only thing that existed was remorse; disturbing, pounding remorse that he couldn't do more. 

His trench coat and silver hair streamed out behind him like a banner as he gracefully plummeted through the chemical scented air and into the lake of pure energy that flowed beneath the feet of every person on the planet. He hit the surface of the liquid with a neck breaking jolt and slowly sank down into it, closing his eyes and sighing mournfully as it enveloped him and took him away from his brief yet disturbing view of reality.

Tifa cried out again as he disappeared from view and Yuffie began to sob quietly. The others stood in numb silence. It was over, it truly was over. All of their enemies had been destroyed in one fell swoop... but had they? Their enemies. The men who they had always considered as being their most hated and feared adversaries had appeared and died before them. Still, somewhere deep down they felt a pang of sorrow. Something had happened, something that they'd never thought possible. Rufus and Janus, both dead by sword wounds. 

Sephiroth; the cause. 

They had seen him for what he was beneath his dark and menacing exterior; lost and clueless. He had no idea what had happened or who he was. Is this how it had been all through those years that he had systematically destroyed their lives or was this a ruse? To what purpose though?

Cloud clenched his jaw. The Sephiroth he had met when he attempted to join SOLDIER. The Sephiroth that he had met years later on his mission to Nibelheim. That had been the Sephiroth he believed dead. The Sephiroth that existed before Jenova polluted his mind with promises of godly power and false heritage.

That Sephiroth had died but against all the odds had returned. The monster masquerading as his friend was the one that had been killed in the Northern Crater five years before. Sephiroth the SOLDIER still existed. It couldn't end now, not like this. If there was a chance, if there was any hope that he could be brought back...

"Vincent!" Tifa cried, looking at the black demon. "Please! Can you get him? Maybe he's survived!"

Vincent looked to Cloud for confirmation and although still very much confused, he nodded.

"Wait a moment. Are you talking about rescuing the bastard that almost killed us all??" Reno questioned with utter disbelief. 

"No." Cloud answered quietly. "I'm talking about rescuing a friend."

Vincent dived off the railings and fell to the bubbling liquid like a black dart as he streaked through the air. He collided into the Mako with an incredible splash and was immediately swallowed by the lifestream. 

Sephiroth felt himself sinking deeper and deeper into the suffocating liquid. 

__

Ironic, he thought to himself _how the very essence of life itself shall prove to be my grave..._ .

As the shining Mako rushed around him and soothed his aching muscles and weary body with gentle ripples, the planet sang songs of life into his ears with a soft lullaby. He relaxed and didn't try to fight against it. Peace, perfect peace: after such a brief turbulent time he was being allowed to return to where he belonged.

__

Where I belong? How do I belong here?

His silent query went unanswered. The planet continued to sing to him and his body once more surrendered to the tranquillity. But, there was something above the soft trilling of the lifestream, something much more urgent and demanding. He aroused his consciousness and attempted to concentrate on the faint cries. They were far away but rapidly getting closer. Were they getting closer to him, or was he getting closer to them? Not that it mattered. Nothing mattered now that he was returning.

__

Returning, again returning. Have I been here before? Am I dead yet or have I been here in the past? He snorted derisively. _Dreams and fantasies. Let me sleep. I don't want to face this world any longer. I want to mourn, I want to be alone to continue my atonement. I shouldn't be privileged with another chance._

He paused. What was he thinking? There were parts of him beginning to speak that he wasn't even aware existed. What was he atoning for that was so bad he was prepared to be alone for the rest of time?

Out of the humming liquid around him came an answer and Sephiroth wept. 

__

I did that? I truly am not worthy of another chance... . I deserve to suffer for everything I have done whether I was conscious of my actions or not. I never should've let myself go... it was my fault... .

A sudden and pleasant feeling of warmth and joy ran around him but the burden upon his soul was too great for the planet to reach and it fell back; unable to ease his pain.

__

I do not want forgiving. Sephiroth argued tearfully. _Leave me. What harm can it do you to let me be? Please, let me make up for my sins... ._

And then the answer came. In a flash of brilliance it entered his mind as quickly as it left and he was left wondering whether or not he was going insane. A second chance? He was being given a second chance? But why? Why out of the countless souls on the planet he was once more chosen after the crimes he had committed? He didn't even deserve recognition of his existence. 

And then the second answer came. No explanation, no background or information for him to grasp and understand; yet it somehow made perfect sense.

That's why, when the firm, strong hands grabbed his arms and held him tightly, he didn't object. That's why when he felt himself being heaved upwards with incredible speed through the warm liquid to face the harsh world again, he didn't struggle. That's why when he knew for certainty that his life was about to begin again he didn't even want to stay.

__

Destiny. That single word that spoke a million meanings. One of which would become clearer to him soon.

A peaceful smile touched his lips and remained there as he was torn from the planet and into the bitter night air.

Vincent burst from the liquid holding Sephiroth before him. His wings flailed and flapped wildly in order to gain some hold over the thick substance but it continued in its attempts to drag him back down to it's softy lulling depths and warmth. With a powerful roar that shook the very bridge his spectators stood on, he beat them with all his strength and broke free from his restraints, rising faster and faster into the air with the noise and determination of a demon rising from the pits of hell. With another roar, he hovered on level with the catwalk, eyeing its occupiers with a worrying glint in his eyes. 

Eventually satisfied of some unapparent fact, he slowly rose and landed upon the metal span, laying Sephiroth down carefully onto the floor, the warrior's silver hair plastered to his face by the illuminous liquid that clung to his clothes and skin like a disease. Vincent stood back and with a glance around his surroundings, took to the air once more, coming to rest on a large pipe that ran over the bridge. He crouched on it like a bird of prey preparing to dive onto an unsuspecting victim and watched the events with glittering red eyes.

Yuffie cast him a worried glance before turning back to the scene unfolding before her. Tifa and Cloud immediately brushed past the open-mouthed spectators and knelt beside the unconscious form of the ex-SOLDIER.

"What's the deal with this?" asked Elena with knitted brows. "I thought you guys were all worst enemies?"

"That was with the other Sephiroth." Cloud answered quietly. "The Sephiroth that destroyed Nibelheim and almost wiped out the planet. This is the Sephiroth I remember from ten years ago, the one who was a good friend and tutor. Something happened to him and it wasn't his fault. We shouldn't punish him for that."

The Turks exchanged blank looks until Reno coughed and slotted his nightstick back into its holder. "There's no point in us sticking around. We'll go and see if we can find the bomb that mad bastard Rufus planted with Janus. If there are any of their flunkies running around then we'll keep them outta your path."

Cloud mumbled a 'thanks' and with a motion of his head, Reno led his two companions off the bridge and into the control room. 

"We should get him out of here." Tifa murmured. "If we don't get these clothes off him then he might develop Mako poisoning."

Cloud nodded grimly and looked up at Vincent who seemed more interested in examining his surroundings as he patrolled the length of his platform. "Vincent, could you lift Sephiroth for us?"

The demon peered down at them and after a brief thought, leapt and glided gracefully onto the catwalk, perching on the railings and watching them.

Cloud scratched the back of his head. "You've really got the whole flying thing sorted, huh?"

Vincent looked at him expressionlessly before turning his attention down to the sodden figure lying on the cold metal. He hopped off the thin railings and onto the platform before scooping Sephiroth up and starting to walk away from the site of the night's terrible events with Yuffie, Tifa and Cloud in tow. They cast backward glances at the site of the crumpled form of Rufus who lay on the floor in a heap like a spineless rag-doll in a pool of his own blood. Tifa reached down and lifted Sephiroth's sword. The brilliant silver sheen of the metal dimmed with her instant touch and seemed to become heavier with every second. Not even bothering to wield the massive weapon, she followed closely to Cloud's heels in the middle of the line.

Yuffie swallowed nervously and kept close to the people before her, still clutching the Conformer tightly in fear of ambush. The Turks kept to their word however and the only signs they saw of any opposition were the dead bodies of Shinra soldiers clothed in the uniform Cloud had seen them wearing in the HQ. Bloodstains spread across the floor from pistol wounds and the singed open injuries from Reno's nightstick. Although they grimaced they continued on their gruesome path until the exit. It was more than obvious by the copious amounts of corpses that Rufus had planned them a reception had they intended on leaving early. Cloud was simply thankful that the Turk's training provided them with the means to dispatch their enemies quickly and effortlessly.

As they stepped out through the reactor main door into the frozen street, the chilling air immediately attacked their lungs. They coughed until the initial shock was over and began to look around their new surroundings. It seemed like the most beautiful night they had ever seen. The sky was clear except for the smattering of stars that decorated the black-velvet canvas of night. The full moon still hung in the sky like an unearthly jewel suspended about them in the eternal ballet of heavenly bodies that circled their planet. They were momentarily overwhelmed by the clarity that they could see into the rest of the universe but awe made way for worry as Sephiroth began to lapse into a violent coughing fit.

Vincent set the man down onto the crisp snow that was beginning to grow an ice covering that glittered like diamonds in the moonlight. Sephiroth quietened as he felt himself on a flat surface and dared to open his eyes as the cold roused him from his fleeting coma. Aqua slits appeared above pale, sunken cheeks and he peered back at them.

Cloud knelt beside him and narrowed his own eyes thoughtfully.

"You okay?" he asked eventually and Sephiroth nodded unconvincingly as the movement forced him into another fit.

For a minute he gave wracking coughs that seemed to tear him to pieces until he sat up and rolled to one side weakly, spitting out the blood that had gathered in his mouth. Wiping his lips and only succeeding in smearing the red stain across his gaunt face, he lay back down again.

"I'll be all right." he responded quietly. "But I have to ask one thing... why? Why did you save me?"

Tifa and Cloud looked at each other as if searching for an answer in words to vociferate their early feelings. "I, I'm not sure." Cloud replied truthfully. "_You_ saved _us_. We couldn't leave you after that."

"But after everything I've done. I almost destroyed you both." the silver-haired man spoke sorrowfully, closing his eyes and reopening them once he was looking away from them in an attempt to guiltily avoid recognition.

"That wasn't you." Cloud contended softly. "The man in there, that risked his life to rescue us and the city was the Sephiroth that I knew ten years ago, before the Nibelheim incident ever happened. I don't what the hell happened to you then man, and to be honest, I was about to cut you down where you stood for everything you'd done but when you turned around and refused to kill us... I knew something was different. I couldn't walk away. Even if this is a trick, some lure to make us trust you so that you can kill us I'm willing to take the risk."

Sephiroth turned back to look at the adamant swordsman and felt a mixture of emotions at the brief but powerful speech. Elation at his forgiveness but sadness for the man's blinding trust. He wasn't even sure of himself and was unable to let himself sleep peacefully for his crimes so how was this person, the very man who had been his instrument of destruction able to put it aside?

"Th, thank you." he stuttered hoarsely, the words unfamiliar to his lips. "I am unable to forgive myself so how-"

"I didn't say I forgave you." Cloud argued firmly but there was no anger in his voice. "You destroyed my hometown, you killed my mother and Tifa's father, you killed Aeris in cold blood and you were prepared to murder the planet."

Sephiroth fell silent. _Guilty as charged... ._

Cloud's voice softened. "But you redeemed yourself in my eyes by showing that you were willing to sacrifice yourself. You had no idea what was happening or who you were so you acted in instinct and that instinct told you to help us. I can thank you for that and place my trust in you but the fires in Nibelheim will always burn brightly in my heart and mind."

"Thank you." Sephiroth said again, his voice choked and Cloud's brow furrowed.

"Thank you?" he repeated. "For what?"

"I do not deserve pardon for what happened in the past. I would strike you down now if you dared lay it to rest. It is the last thing I want."

Cloud nodded solemnly but frowned as Sephiroth began to choke again. Like before, he spat blood and as he moved, Cloud caught sight of the large shotgun wound in the man's chest.

"We need to get that looked at." he reported as he stood up. "C'mon, it's time we went back to the bar."

Vincent lifted Sephiroth again and for a second their eyes met as unspoken emotions were passed until Sephiroth looked down at Cloud. "Where are we going?"

"Back to my bar." Tifa intervened. "You can stay there and rest until you've fully recuperated."

"I am grateful... Tifa." Sephiroth acknowledged gratefully and the beautiful woman blushed lightly and nodded.

"For now, it's the very least I could do."

"It's too cold to stay out here for much longer;" said Cloud softly to break the brief peace. "Let's get home."

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Just as dawn was breaking over the horizon adding colour to the pallid night, Tifa gently pushed open the bar's back door. Her boots crunched softly on the snow and the microscopic ice-crystals refracted the sun's light into a myriad of small rainbows to add even more beauty to the awe inspiring elegance that had touched them in the night's snowstorm. It seemed strange how such a terrible event had happened the previous evening yet such peacefulness now existed in the tranquil city. She imagined that it would be considerably different around Sector Two and a glance at Vincent reminded her of how lucky that they'd been to avoid detection.

She held open the door while Cloud stepped through and Vincent stooped as low as he possibly could, walking on his knees and still bending double in order to fit through the small doorway. With a snarl of pain as his wings caught on the wooden frame, he squeezed through and wearily passed Sephiroth's barely conscious form to the waiting Cloud. Cloud carefully carried Sephiroth upstairs whilst Tifa locked the door quietly behind Yuffie after she stepped through and stamped the snow from her sneakers. Vincent shuffled exhaustedly into his corner and promptly fell asleep despite the lack of comfort, his wings shivering with every deep breath until they locked together over his head and hid him away from everyone else. 

Tifa motioned for Yuffie to follow her and the two women crept upstairs after Cloud and Sephiroth. As they reached the landing, Cloud walked out of Yuffie's room and pulled the door to behind him. The three moved into Cloud and Tifa's room where they sat down on the bed and mulled over their thoughts morosely. 

"I still can't believe it." Tifa murmured eventually. "We, AVALANCHE have just given our supposed nemesis a bed to sleep and recuperate in."

"Many won't be able to believe that he saved us and probably everyone in the city." Cloud responded with a sigh. "It's a screwed up world sometimes.... ."

"Sometimes?" repeated Yuffie with a degree of disbelief. "This whole thing has been nothing but fucked up from the beginning!"

"Yuffie!" gasped Tifa, unused to hearing the girl use such extreme language.

"I'm not joking." Yuffie retorted seriously. "Vincent finally gets around to telling us he's a vampire and then gets turned into a monster after Hojo comes back from the dead and tries to kill Cloud. Then Rufus rears his ugly head along with some guy I've never even heard of and they try to blow up the city! Tell me if there's anything remotely normal about that??"

Tifa and Cloud fell silent while she stared at them accusingly. "It's just not right. Why the hell do we have to go through all of this? What have we done that's so bad to deserve all this crap? Especially Vincent, god I feel so sorry for him. He can't say anything; he can hardly do anything and whatever shred of humanity he says he has left is slowly being eaten away. You saw how he behaved in the reactor. After he came away from the Mako, he flew up to the rafters and starting prowling around like some kind of animal. He's never been able to fly before; I mean you saw how hard it was for him to even walk when you first woke him up." she paused and licked her dry lips. "Something's going on with him. I don't know what but... it feels like we're losing him. I, I'm not at all sure but... he's fading away."

Tifa swallowed and a heavy feeling of guilt was thrown onto her shoulders with the force of a ten-ton weight. She had been so obsessed with her own petty fears and life she had never even bothered to sit back and look at how Vincent, the worst casualty of what had happened, was reacting to everything. So far he was being used as something to do the jobs that none of them could do. If she had ever asked him how he was, she had never bothered to wait for an answer. It was as though all her reassuring had been done purely for the purpose of easing her own feelings.

She sighed sorrowfully. "We should help him." she announced quietly. "There must be something we can do to help his research if he's even going to try that any more. He won't want to stay in the corner of my kitchen for the rest of his life, that's for sure and the least we can do is aid his studies somehow."

Cloud nodded. "I can't believe I never even noticed." he mumbled. "I guess it's been so obvious, but what can we do? Should we just watch him and hope it doesn't get any worse or do we mention it?"

Yuffie shrugged. "I doubt he's even aware of it. Maybe it's nothing, maybe I'm just being paranoid but he just seems so much more at ease with what's happened that it's almost frightening. After such a short time it's like that's the way he's always been. He's even stopped pacing now..." she ended, her voice trailing off with a slight smile. "He always used to do that, even when he first changed but now he just stands and stares at nothing. I think he just gets involved in his thoughts too much."

"I guess that it's all he can do." sighed Tifa sadly. "I go into the kitchen sometimes and it's like he's in a trance. He'll just stare without blinking at nothing at all and when he's not like that, he's asleep."

"I wonder what he thinks about." Cloud said wistfully. "I mean does he get bored of just siting there all of the time?"

"Of course he does." frowned Tifa. "You saw how desperate he was to get out of here and begin finding Janus." she suddenly fell silent. "Oh god, how's he taking Janus' death? I mean with both him and Hojo gone, it doesn't look like there's anyone else he can talk to about what they did to him."

An oppressive silence fell upon them as they all began to dissect the information they had gathered over the past week's events. 

"I guess I should speak with him." Cloud volunteered quietly. "The problem is that he's always in such a hurry to leave the house when he changes that there's never much time."

"We'll just have to make time then." shrugged Yuffie. "He shouldn't have to feel like he's alone in this. I tried to talk to him... but it's just too awkward sometimes. I don't think there's much point in me trying to get any information out of him."

Cloud gave a slight smile. "I'll speak with him tomorrow after he comes back."

They nodded and weariness began to creep up and weave its spell upon the group of three. Yuffie yawned loudly and looked at the couple through bleary eyes. "I'm kinda tired now." she announced tiredly. "Where am I gonna sleep?"

Tifa stood and helped the girl to her feet. "I'll sort out one of the spare rooms. I'm sure I can find something to make a quick bed but I'm afraid that it'll be boxes and blankets for now."

Yuffie pulled a face but didn't complain as she followed Tifa out of the room. Cloud sighed and sank back onto warm bed with his hands folded behind his head. He exhaled deeply and lids closed slowly over fatigued eyes as all noise ceased in the house and darkness stole upon the domain. 

As he lay there oblivious to the world, he was vaguely aware of something in the room with him. His fighter instincts alerted him to the unfamiliar presence but there was such a feeling of utter and complete peace that he found himself unable to do anything except track it's brief journey around the bed. He felt a slight breeze on his face as all aches and pains that had riddled him for the past week melted along with all anxieties as he slipped into blissful sleep.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

She moved silently from the room with steps that didn't disturb even the lightest piece of dust as her long white dress trailed from behind her. There was a strange feeling around the house; auras of peace yet unbearable sadness. She almost wept.

There was a quiet click at the end of the landing and her light dimmed as she faded into the shadows and watched a young woman with long brown hair yet weary strides move quietly past her. When the bedroom door closed, she stepped out from the shadows and moved down the narrow hall until she stood outside another room, from which there were laboured breaths emanating. She reached out to touch the door handle but pulled back with slow realisation and sadness that flickered momentarily on her pale face. With a sigh that reached from the depths of the planet, she walked forward and passed through the door with a faint breeze carrying her. 

Her light and ghostly iridescence stayed with her and when she stopped in the middle of the almost black room, a soft and non-intrusive light faintly illuminated it. She took the time to look around herself and memorise every corner and every unpacked box. It was only a small room yet it was comfortable and warm. There was no furniture as such, only crates covered with sheets that served as sparse decoration. A bed stood against one wall beneath a window and she drifted towards it to look on its occupant.

The man that slept in the bed was obviously disturbed although whether it was with the pain from a bloody wound on his chest or unmentionable dreams, she was uncertain. His long silver hair was plastered to his face from sweat and the sheet that covered his naked body was twisted and wrapped around his legs and arms where he'd thrashed in agony. She wished that she could reach out and smooth the covers out, just as she wished she could kiss his forehead and scrape the hair back from his face whilst telling him everything would be all right. Everything would be all right because his mother was there.

Only she couldn't. As a projection, nothing more than a spirit that refused to return to the planet since it had been disturbed she could do nothing.

Lucrecia reached out a hand that glowed faintly and her pale touch landed on his wound. When she pulled it away, there was a slight look of serenity on her son's face and the terrible injury had healed leaving only faint scaring. A smile played upon her gaunt lips as bright aqua eyes opened and turned painstakingly to focus on her.

"Mother..." whispered a faint voice. "Why are you here?"

She knelt down by his bedside and placed a hand over his eyes. The touch was not physical but the healing aura that seemed to surround it filtered into his body and soothed his pains. "Shh, shh my son." she pacified gently. "It is nothing for you to worry about. Simply rest now... you need your strength for what is to come."

"What is to come?" Sephiroth repeated, fighting the calming touch of the spirit as he forced his eyes open to look at her once more. "What is about to happen?" 

She stood and kissed him on the cheek as the tranquillity of sleep settled upon him once more with renewed intensity. "You'll see... soon. You'll be able to be with me for always. But first, you have to look after yourself and your friends. I want you to look after Vincent... he needs you right now although he's too stubborn to accept help from anyone." there was a hint of a smile in her voice as she said this. "But take care of them all. Do you hear? I'll be with you as always but I cannot help you. It is against my abilities so let me guide you for now."

"Okay... mother..." Sephiroth murmured as he sank into unconsciousness and dreams became the only things that he knew.

Lucrecia gave a sad smile and left the room, walking through the door as silently as she had done before. She walked out into the landing once more but this time walked down the stairs with noticeable determination in her steps. She passed through the kitchen door and walked out into the middle of the tiled floor, stopping to glance around with eyes that were looking for one thing only. She turned and gasped as her sight fell upon a dark shape huddled in the corner. Tears brimmed in hazel eyes as she hesitantly walked forward to stand next to the black mass. She reached out to run her hand down the crimson membrane of the wings but it passed through noiselessly and only stirred a slight wind that brushed against the cheek of the demon. She pulled back suddenly and took a few steps away as it slowly began to move; wings shuffled and angry mutterings emerged from below the organic shroud. 

The wings parted and a gargoylic face looked around the room; the creature was so large that even when slouched down its head was over five-feet above the floor. It did not have to look hard before it saw the apparition. Vincent's breath caught in his throat and he choked on his own emotions as he saw the figure of his beloved standing before him like an angel in the night. Her hazel eyes regarded him sadly from a pale face and her long, light brown hair floated lightly around her shoulders as though she was standing within a light breeze.

He attempted to speak, but as usual, the sounds were nothing but guttural snarls that would only mean something to another monster such as himself. He lowered his eyes feeling unworthy to look upon her and stared down at his hands that were clasped firmly over his stomach.

"Vincent...?" called the spirit softly in a lulling voice that drained his fears and anxieties whilst furthering them. "Vincent, I've come to see you." she whispered, stepping towards him with one hand outstretched.

He shifted his gaze and looked into her face; the beautiful face that had captivated him from the very second his eyes had fallen upon it thirty-nine years previous. The very face that still held the key to his heart all of this time later. _"Oh god Lucrecia... why are you here? I, I didn't ever want you to see me... like this."_

A pained smile touched her delicate features as she made a motion to stroke his face without making any physical contact. "Vincent... I'll always love you, no matter what you look like. No matter what Hojo's done to you, you are always the same man I fell in love with."

__

"But I am not..." He contended with sorrow but also a trace of anger in his voice. _"I am not even a man anymore... not even human. Look at me my love. In his books he had always said that this was his aim, to create me in this form as the so-called demon that he always saw me as. Perhaps he was right..."_

"No!" she cried. "You are not a monster Vincent! Please... stop saying that. Don't you know how much it pains me to hear you degrade yourself like this? It was Hojo all along, I have told you that countless times and I wish that you would stop being so stubborn as to ignore me!"

He gave her a pained look. _"I would never ignore you. I live just to hear your voice but I choose not to take your opinion. You know my beliefs, even after reliving in my nightmares about what happened in Nibelheim, I still look back and think of a million things I could've done to stop this happening."_

"Do you regret... us?" Lucrecia asked emotionlessly. 

Vincent shook his head vehemently. _"No, never. You are the only good thing that has ever happened in my miserable life and I will never believe otherwise. No matter what hells I have been forced to suffer, I see your face and my world makes sense. I don't care what happens so long as I know that I shall never wake up and find that you were a dream. A simple mirage created by a man who needed something to keep him sane. Please god, I couldn't bear it."_

He gave a shuddering sigh and cradled his head in his hands as she watched helplessly. 

__

"I would give anything just to hold you again..."

"Then come with me," she said firmly and he looked at her curiously. "Do you trust me Vincent?" she asked and he nodded dubiously without clarity of the situation.

She put her hands over her face and the light that surrounded her being faded as she pulled the hands away. They were cupped together and as she held them before herself, the light began to burn within them as a pure white flame. She moved over to stand beside him and before he could object, there was a cold breeze and the flames passed from her onto him. He watched the sight in awe as they began to spread over him until they covered every part of his body. With nothing but astonishment written on demonic features, the flames began to melt away the dark skin on his body revealing the human flesh beneath it. In a minute, the darkness had seeped back into the shadows from whence it had been born and Vincent Valentine stood up with overwhelming shock. 

His golden claw gleamed at his side and black hair hung over his face as though it had never left, if only for a few hours. His one, good hand was held before his face as though it was a precious jewel he had never seen before and should be admired and studied for its beauty no matter how pallid it seemed. He dropped both arms limply to his sides and looked at Lucrecia. 

She smiled sadly back at him; her ghostly white light severely diminished. 

"How-" he began but she cut him off.

"I don't have time to explain." she answered softly. "But come, walk with me."

She motioned towards the back door and he opened it for her, her soft light flowing out into the sharp night air. He followed behind her almost as silent as she and closed the door. 

"Where are we going?" he questioned, completely mystified by the night's occurrences. 

She glanced back and shrugged. "Just for a walk I guess." she replied and he gave a curt nod.

Together they walked out onto the street and made their ways towards the Seven Gardens without a word of direction.

"So why are you here?" Vincent inquired after a few moments of blissful if confusing silence. "I am guessing that it's not simply a social call."

She shook her head and long, wavy brown hair hung over her shoulders. "No... I'm here for a reason."

"What is it... or daren't I ask?"

She fell silent. "I would prefer not to talk about it."

He looked at her out of the corner of a single red eye. "I'm curious now."

She gave a slight but flat laugh. "Yes, I thought you might be."

"So, why?"

She looked up at him with a curious expression. "Are you not pleased to see me?"

He stopped and she turned to face him. "Of course I am." he whispered. "But you are changing the subject, my love. I am purely curious but you are holding something back and it is weighing upon you. I cannot stand to see you suffer so."

"And you don't mind that I should have to watch you torture yourself day after day??" she snapped and he raised his eyebrows. "I watch you Vincent, every day I am by your side. Not physically but I feel with you. I hate when you hate and I love when you love. Can't you see how much I am suffering because of your idiotic punishments on yourself??"

He swallowed. "I, I'm sorry..." he muttered.

"Sorry is not enough Vincent." Lucrecia cried, her voice breaking as divine tears began to fall down her cheeks. "I don't want to suffer any more but I cannot let you harm yourself so I will not leave you. I love you! I love you Vincent Valentine but you do not love yourself enough to let go." she lowered her head. "You cannot love me enough if you don't stop this."

Vincent was vaguely aware of movement from the corner of his eye and the sounds of footsteps but all became oblivious as his heart shattered. "You think... I don't love you...?" he gasped, a physical pain starting to rise up from his chest. 

"I didn't mean it like that!" Lucrecia wept. "I'm so sorry."

She began to fade away and Vincent reached out to touch her, his hand passing through her like a blade through smoke. He suddenly cried out as the pain in his chest increased; making its presence known even further.

The footsteps from down the street became louder and louder and gradually more discernible as not an individual, but a large group of people.

"I'm so, so sorry Vincent..." the female voice continued to say until the white light had completely disappeared on the wind. 

Vincent cried out again and clutched his stomach as there was the feeling of his ribs compacting in on themselves and the colour of his skin began to darken.

"Hey! Hey yo!" yelled a menacing voice that came from the direction of the footsteps. 

Vincent tilted his head towards the sound and saw a group of five men standing in a line across the street, all carrying an arsenal of weapons that would've succeeded in making Barret jealous. 

"What the hell're you doin?" demanded the voice of their leader. He stepped out from the middle of the line and walked towards Vincent, a large katana in his right hand. "Don't you know it's unwise to come outta yo' house during nightfall? Hell, I mean there could be thieves or anyone around!"

There was a ripple of laughter from the men behind him.

"If I were you... I'd get out of here. Right now." Vincent succeeded in forcing out through pained gasps for air.

"Hey, hey!" objected another of the men from the line. "We don't take orders from stuck-up punks like you!"

"Yeah, anyway," started the leader. "We're about to give you a very good offer."

"Go... away." Vincent whispered as another shot of pain ripped through his body.

"Now that's not very nice." another reprimanded. "After all, you don't even know what we're about to say!"

"How about, if we offer you the chance to pay us five hundred Gil so that we don't slit your throat." suggested the chief pleasantly but his proposal was ignored as Vincent cried out in pain and fell to the floor on his knees.

The thief nearest to him stepped forward until he stood a few metres away from Vincent, a cigarette hanging from one corner of his mouth and a revolver clutched limply in one hand. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" he asked angrily. "You don't like our little suggestion?"

Vincent moaned again, he had fought back the inevitable for too long now and like a time bomb, he was ready to explode. There was no point in persuading these idiots to keep back; if they were around to face the consequences of hell personified then who was he to argue?

He looked up at them with a grim smile. "Keep... back." he begged finally before a scream escaped his lips and the shadows at the edge of the street were pulled into him and the transformation began.

The five men stepped back; their faces twisted in horror as the abomination took place before them. Wings burst out from beneath the red cloak and the resultant wind was powerful enough to knock the leader to his knees as he stumbled back to keep away. 

Vincent reared his head and let out a demonic scream that was a mixture of a human cry of pain and a bestial howl; a single word uttered over the cacophony, 'Lucrecia'. Agony and the demonic features twisted his visage as they began to contort them into a hellish blueprint. He curled back up again and began to grow; his clothes somehow sticking to him like a skin that became a deep, pure black. The wings drew in around him and with a whimper of agony; the crimson and black creature huddled in the centre of the street. 

"Holy shit." breathed the leader. "What the fucking hell is that??"

"S, Someone! Kill it!" squealed the nearest bandit, trembling in total fear. 

He clicked back his revolver with shaking hands and aimed it at the creature. His finger squeezed on the trigger and he was about to fire before there was movement.

It grew upwards from off the ground as it started to stand and the wings opened like the blood red petals of a hellish flower. The demon drew itself up to its full height and threw back its head to give a roar that came from the bloody depths of hell. The wings beat powerfully by its side and when satisfied that it had made its diabolical presence known, it glared down at the five who dared challenge it.

The eyes glowed vivid red beneath a dark brow and they eventually focused on the closest opponent, the gun still in his hand. Jolted back to reality, he raised the weapon and prepared to fire, when with unnatural speed, Chaos sprang forward. It raised one wing and slashed it back down slicing cleanly through the man's wrist as his hand fell to the ground with a thump. He screamed, but his cry was stopped quickly as a massive claw was swung with such a great force, he was decapitated and his fragmented body sprayed blood across the cobbles. The demon roared and leapt back to face the other threats. The leader gave a battle cry and sprinted forward to meet the clash with his sword raised. 

Chaos sneered at the pathetic human as he easily sidestepped the attack. He tripped over the curb and was sent sprawling to the pavement, the blade jarred from his grasp. Chaos raised a claw and smashed it down into the man's back, tearing through the thin skin and pulling back, lifting him by an agonising grip.

He screamed out as blood poured from the hideous wounds but he was promptly hurled to the floor as another stepped forward to challenge the demon.

A knife was sliced down and Chaos screamed, the membrane of his wing ripped badly by one of the insolent humans as he tore another to pieces. He spun once he'd dropped the last victim and crouched down low on the floor like a cat preparing to pounce. The foolishly brave thief started to back away, but with a powerful leapt, Chaos flew through the air like a dart and landed on the man so that the back of his head was smashed into the blood stained cobbles. The nightmarish demon lifted a clawed hand and dragged it down his face, reducing it to a blood streaked mess. The thief screamed as he was pinned down by the incredible weight of the monster and his body was slowly shredded before his eyes. With a final swipe, the demon ended his life as he sliced the man's throat with a bloody claw and sprang back to face the next threat.

Two of the men stood together facing him and he gave a low growl, ducking back to avoid a shuriken as it whistled past his head and embedded itself in the wall behind him. He slunk forward and pounced, little more than a black and red blur before their eyes. With unnatural strength he lifted the nearest from the ground and began to crush him between immensely powerful claws. The man began to scream but the air was squeezed from his lungs as his ribs cracked loudly and his organs were pulverised inside his body. The grip was lessened slightly but his body was so weak, he could not move, even as he was hurled to the ground and the demon grabbed him by the head. With a forceful jerk and loud crack his neck was snapped and his body slumped to the floor pathetically as he died noiselessly.

Chaos paused and looked around. The final human was not nearby and his muscles tensed in a mixture of concern and the thrill of the chase. His moment of adrenaline fuelled searching was stopped suddenly as he spied his prey running with the speed of a madman down the street and away from the carnage.

Chaos gave a low growl and jumped into the air beating the crimson wings a few times until he hovered and then charged forward, his head lowered barely a metre from the ground. The tips of his wings brushed the houses either side of the road as he moved at an incalculable speed but he was never deterred from his target as he moved on the wind.

With a crunch and searing agony, the final bandit gasped has he was jolted from the floor and carried higher and higher into the air. He looked down on himself and vomited as he saw two perfect ivory horns jutting out from his abdomen dripping with his own blood. Still, they travelled further and further into the air until the mega-city was laid out beneath them, no larger than a map. 

He wasn't sure why he fainted; whether it was from the terrible agony or the height. He slipped into unconsciousness. 

With a flick of his head; Chaos unimpaled his skewered prey and sent him tumbling to the ground far, far below. 

He threw back his head in a roar that screamed his dominance over the pathetic creatures that dared to challenge him and slowly dived back downwards, the injuries he'd sustained starting to throb in the chilling night-air. 

He swooped down over the buildings and labyrinth of streets until he passed over the remains of Sector Two where there were still rescue operations going on although it was unlikely that anyone had survived the enormous blast. He roared as he passed over their heads but didn't pause to see the reaction gained. Simply knowing that he would've scared them half to death was enough and a wicked smile touched his thin black lips. He sailed over Sectors One, Eight and finally Seven as he dived down and flapped lazily through the main street of Six, stopping as his eyes picked out the now familiar green sign of _'Tifa's Seventh Heaven_'. 

He landed outside the building and smelt the air. The human's were stirring now, their scent carried on a faint breeze like the plague and he recoiled as it reached his nostrils. He snorted derisively and crept through the narrow alleyway beside the bar where he suddenly fell to the floor unconscious.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Vincent shivered violently as the cold night air began to eat away at his body and chill his soul. Attempting to stand, he snarled in pain and leant against the wall of one of the buildings. He expertly examined his right leg whereupon he discovered a bullet lodged in his calf muscle. He sighed wearily as though it was a chore and set about removing the offending piece of metal with a manner that was eerily familiar.

Eventually, there was a clink as it slipped out of the small wound and fell to the stone floor. 

Vincent stood up; satisfied that he had tended to his injuries the best he could at that moment. His healing rate was faster than a normal human and he didn't doubt that by sunrise most of his injuries would be gone. He looked down at himself and grimaced. From his brief moments slouched up against the alley wall, the thin layer of snow had been stained scarlet. Wounds that he had never noticed before covered his body and the blood dripped down to add to the growing puddle beneath his feet. His wing still hurt terribly from the tear and as he examined them he noticed more rips and slashes in the thin membrane.

He sighed wearily and fought to regain memories of what had just happened. Vague, fleeting and horrific visions sprung to mind and he witnessed slow torturous deaths. Deaths that he had caused. 

Why couldn't he remember? What had just happened?

He frowned as Lucrecia's face appeared in his mind. That's right... he had been talking with her and they'd argued. He couldn't even recall why; that's how little of the past hour had remained in his mind. Then he'd become hurt and angry. She left him and then thieves had approached him; at least that much was clear. Then, when she had gone he was no longer able to fight back the change and the metamorphosis took place. As always he'd been infuriated by the pain he suffered but as he looked upon the men that held their weapons towards him, something else stirred. Something more instinctual and primal. 

His face contorted in puzzlement. What had been going through his mind which forced him into committing such heinous acts? It was almost as though the Chaos transformation had taken place through his usual emotional disturbance as it had done in the past rather than through Hojo's wicked routine. The rhythm of forms that had been cursed on him by the insane scientist. 

Slow and horrific realisation started to dawn upon him.

His own anger in the demonic form had led to the deaths of those men. It was no use blaming it upon an alter ego or a creature that Hojo had created through him. He could not place the burden of the night's events on something that was beyond his control.

His eyes widened and he placed a massive clawed hand on one of the walls to support himself as shock and an intense mixture of emotions overwhelmed his senses. 

Hojo had never lied when he said that the demonic transformation _was_ Vincent. He had never exaggerated when explaining that the demon was a part of him like his hands and legs. 

Vincent collapsed to the floor and cradled his head in his hands.

He _was_ Chaos. Chaos _was_ him. 

Now that his form had been altered to that of the demon's, when he truly thought about it; nothing, absolutely nothing had changed. Only now, there was no physical transformation; there was no warning to the violence he was capable of. 

Ever since his sever of all ties to the Turks, he'd denied that he was able to perform such vile acts. It was easy to blame his explosions of anger on Hojo's manifestation of his hidden fury. During every day life he restrained his emotions so far that it was understandable to the rest of AVALANCHE that Chaos would act with such vehemence and terrible violence. 

But there was no use hiding it now; from himself or them.

It had been him all along. It was the part of him he refused to believe in and now it had been released with all its fury. That was Hojo's curse. Not the form itself; no, he was too clever for that. When Hojo claimed to see him for the black-hearted demon that he was, he had never distorted the truth. Hojo had seen straight through his emotionless exterior to his tumultuous soul and saw the damaging potential it contained.

Vincent opened his tear-misted eyes and looked down on his hands. Where they touched the snow, there was a gruesome stain spreading out from where the blood of his victims was filtering into the pure white blanket. He swallowed and sat back on his heels holding the offending hands behind his back as though hiding them from an unseen observer.

With a mournful sigh that sounded more like an injured howl, he looked up at the sky. Night was rapidly fading and orange hues and blue flecks were starting to appear in the vast canvas. He had to get inside quickly before anyone saw him. No doubt the stories of the terrible deaths would be broadcasted all over the city and it wouldn't take a genius to link them back to him if he was discovered. He stood uncertainly and stumbled towards the bar's back door whereupon he pushed it open and crawled through. Quickly resuming his position in the corner of the room to recuperate and deny the sick parody which was his life.

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

"All my life, I worshiped her

Her golden voice, her beauty's beat

How she made us feel

How she made me real

And the ground beneath her feet

And the ground beneath her feet

And now I can't be sure of anything

Black is white, and cold is heat

For what I worshiped stole my love away

It was the ground beneath her feet

It was the ground beneath her feet

Go lightly down your darkened way

Go lightly underground

I'll be down there in another day

I won't rest until you're found

Let me love you true, let me rescue you

Let me bring you where two roads meet

Oh come back above

Where there is only love

Only love

Let me love you true, let me rescue you

Let me bring you to where two roads meet

Let me love you true, let me rescue you

Let me bring you to where two roads meet."

'The Ground Beneath Her Feet', by U2

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sorry that its taken a while to get these next chapters up. I'm lazy. I'm…**really** lazy. But, if you're actually bothering to read this censored piece of a fic then I can only thank you for your patience. All reviews have been supportive so far and I encourage people to visit my personal site at [http://www.geocities.com/lucrecias_looking_glass][1]

Ah gee…. Here I go again….

   [1]: http://www.geocities.com/lucrecias_looking_glass



	9. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

by Lucrecia Marionette

__

~Chapter 9~

'Vigilante'

________________________________________________________

Tifa stamped noisily on the back step as she shook the snow off her boots. Overnight the level of the freezing element had increased dramatically and now the entire city was smothered thickly. She held in her arms a large grocery bag containing an assortment of items including medicines and the day's 'Midgar Post', the daily newspaper. She quietly packed them away in the cupboards around the kitchen and with a weary sigh made a cup of tea and sat down to scan over the paper before the others awoke. 

She gently sipped the hot liquid whilst idly flicking through the black and white sheets, pausing occasionally as an article took her interest. Eventually she stopped as she reached the centre-fold and gasped as a headline blared out to her. **'_Five killed in freak attack!"_** it screamed and below were blurred photos showing the chalk outlines of bodies strewn across a main street.

Although Midgar since rebuilding had suffered more than its fair share of problems with crime, it had always been relatively mild. Terrible events such as murder and attacks were rare occurrences and the papers would devote much time towards helping the police in solving such horrific puzzles. She quickly became enveloped in the article as it described in gruesome detail the result of the attacks and the overly dramatic language enticed her into the hellish depths of the depraved story. She wrinkled her noise at the awful article and licked the tips of her finger as her hand idly reached for the next page of the paper when she paused. 

Beneath a subtitle in the feature was a list of eyewitness accounts. A slight smile touched her lips as bizarre versions were given of weird creatures terrorising the city all night long viewed by several drunks across Midgar at varying times as they stumbled barely conscious from the pubs and bars. Descriptions of the monster varied from green dragons to animals that bore a resemblance to chocobos. 

However, the smile quickly slipped from her face as a disturbing trend in the descriptions became apparent. 

More than a third of the comments collected described with horrific accuracy a demon like monster with black skin and bat's wings which hovered over the scene of the crime and had the audacity to drift over Sector Two when it had committed its murderous acts. It was tracked carefully by rescue workers in the decimated Sector until they lost sight of it over the Seven Gardens and there were no more reports of it. The paper went further into depth as it described how the police were taking all leads seriously and had closed off the Gardens to hunt for the creature. 

Tifa swallowed nervously and closed the paper; her eyes fixed on the wall in front of her as she listened closely to the sounds behind her. The ticking of a small clock on the wall near her clicked with irritating loudness and there were the faint creaks of movement above her as the rest of the house began to stir. However, above all the noise were the deep and even yet laboured breaths of the beast behind her. Bracing herself, she swivelled slowly on the stool and looked over at Vincent. 

Earlier in the morning she had simply afforded him a glance on her way out of the back door. As strange as it seemed she was now becoming used to his presence in the corner of tiled room. At first she would simply sit and watch him as if he was a rare commodity; a display in a twisted museum but he hated that and she quickly learnt to subtly observe his actions without appearing too obvious. Interest gave away to recognition until he was now just something that occupied this particular room. 

Now however, she took the time to sit down and examine him in his unconscious state. A terrible sense of dread rose up from the pit of her stomach until she felt physically ill by simply observing him. Tears and rips decorated the leathery membrane of his wings like a hideous lace and dark red blood, stained black by time oozed slowly from barely noticeable veins in them. His rough black skin glittered with drying blood like onyx and flakes of the dark liquid littered the floor space around him. 

Absently her fingers brushed over the sheet of paper behind her and shocking clarity took the place of half formed ideas in her mind. Huge, ivory horns protruded from his head and as she watched, the light shimmered from a drop of semi-congealed liquid as it fell from the tip of one. The demon shivered as it fell to his skin with a wet plop and she stood up, her back against the bench as it began to stir in increasing amounts. Her hand reached back frantically until it closed around a wooden shaft and she pulled it forward, almost catching herself with the shiny metal blade of the kitchen knife. 

Eventually there was a click as the bony spikes that topped the wings opened like a purse latch and parted slightly allowing a pair of glittering red eyes to peer through like a clam looking out of its shell. Tifa met the gaze with visible trembling but kept the knife low to avoid its detection. The red slits blinked curiously and their direction shifted slightly as they looked to the clock on the opposite wall. Satisfied of whatever fact it wished to know, they once more focused on Tifa's quivering form. 

"V, Vincent?" she stuttered quietly uncertain of what answer she expected in return. 

The eyes lowered and righted themselves to give the impression of a nod and continued to regard her with odd curiosity.

"A, Are you... all right?" she questioned warily and again he nodded.

This time, the wings opened fully until they revealed the dark pearl within their scarlet depths. Vincent looked out at her, his eyes half closed through lack of sleep and his shoulders slumped wearily. As Tifa observed this new, more human side to the monster she felt her heart twinge guiltily at her uncertain fear. However, as he glanced down on his hands and clenched them, the dried blood flaked off and fell to the floor in a crimson shower. Fear once more crept up her spin until she trembled violently. 

The knife clasped behind her back started to drum against the benches and as he peered up at her questioningly, her grip weakened and the blade clattered on the floor tiles. 

He shifted his gaze to look down at the stark, steel knife and then up at her. She almost gasped aloud as she saw the terrible emotions swirling within his blood red eyes. Sorrow was the most immediate; awful remorseful sorrow. Although whether it was for her or himself she couldn't be sure. 

Then there was the regret; perhaps for his unspoken actions or the very fact that he was the cause of her terror. At the same time as his eyes appeared to ask her why she was holding the knife defensively, they also showed that internally, deep inside he knew the answer. A glance at the newspaper behind her explained his worry.

"I, I'm sorry Vincent," she breathed tearfully. "But you... you killed those men, didn't you?"

The red eyes looked down at the floor shame-facedly and the black head nodded slowly.

__

Yes... yes, it was me. It was me all along and only now have I realised that. I see how you finally show your fear towards me but oddly enough, I am not sad for that. I am sorrowful for the fact that you, like me, were so blind to the truth that has been there all along. It has **always** been me... .

"I don't mean to sound like a judge," Tifa began, her voice laced with the restrained hints of an unspoken emotion. "But why? What made you do it? The paper described those deaths. Did they really deserve that?"

__

Of course they didn't... no one deserves to have their life taken away from them no matter how they abuse and pervert it. I know that, oh god I know that and I always thought that after everything I'd done in the Turks I'd learn to hold that high above any other principle. But deep within me in the part that masquerades behind this demonic visage, I don't think I care. In fact I don't think I **ever** have. I wonder if I only pretended so that Lucrecia would love me. He exhaled a deep and mournful sigh. 

Tifa's hard expression softened at the display of regret although she couldn't understand his motivation. 

__

You were right Hojo... . What is the point any more...?

Tifa began to speak again; it was obvious that her words were directed at himself but he didn't listen. It wasn't intentional but his mind swam with so many millions of different thoughts that he found it impossible to concentrate. Her voice rang clear with worry and regret but despite the heavy burden it placed upon his heart he couldn't force himself to pay attention. No, there was something much more pressing; something more urgent than anything he could comprehend. As he sank deeper and deeper into his thoughts, the world became less and less relevant.

__

Lucrecia, why? Why did you do this? You led me out there on purpose, didn't you? To what aim though? What did you hope to accomplish? Did you mean for me to kill those five men or was it terrible coincidence? 

No. Very few things in this life are pure serendipity. There was a method behind this madness, I am certain of it but I wish to the gods that I could decipher what it is. Why must these things be so awkward? I was once a man of action, not thought but how the tables have turned, and so abruptly. Now I have nothing to do but think of what a mutated mess my life is and wonder if there is a meaning. 

Was there a lesson? Was there a valuable lesson that I didn't learn? An obvious hint which was always in front of me but I could never grasp? I've finally realised that Chaos is a part of me, but why? What was the meaning to that? Was this another cruel joke or are you trying to tell me something? Luc? Lucrecia.......................... .

"-Vincent?"

His head jerked up and the red eyes focused on Tifa; her face contorted with an ambivalent mixture of annoyance and worry. "You weren't listening, were you?"

She didn't wait for an answer as she picked up the knife and placed it carefully on the kitchen bench. She opened up a cupboard above her head and pulled out several bottles, clasping a small silver spoon in her left hand whilst expertly loading a tray with the multi-coloured glass containers. She lifted the tray and looked back at the demon who regarded her guiltily.

She gave a sigh. "I'll speak to you tonight, huh? Maybe you can tell me what happened then." He didn't reply and with a weary shrug, she turned and walked through the kitchen door to the living area upstairs. 

Cloud's eyes opened with obvious reluctance and his body ached with weariness and vague recollections of the night before. The evening's sudden activity and movement after a week's confinement in bed had played heavily on him and now he was experiencing the result. His muscles ached and his head throbbed. Perhaps he wasn't as fit as he'd presumed he was.

There was a light knock at the door and he rolled his head over to face it. Unprompted, it opened slowly and Tifa tiptoed in carrying a tray balanced on one hand and the other on the door handle. She gave him a bright smile.

"Morning," she said warmly. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, not too bad," he responded with a hesitant stretch feeling his bones crack and body object to the movement. Thrusting the dull pain to the back of his mind as not to worry the woman who had just entered, he sat up and leant against the headboard. 

"Did you?"

She nodded and perched on the edge of the bed, putting a hand on Cloud's forehead to crudely check his temperature. "Your fever seems fine," she reported after a few seconds. "Here, I got you some medicine in case you're still not feeling to good inside."

He nodded thankfully and took one of the bottles to examine it curiously. He unscrewed the lid and pulled a face as he caught a whiff of the 'strawberry' flavoured liquid inside. "I hate this stuff." he commented as she smiled at his reaction. "It reminds of medicine my Mom used to give me when I was a kid. You'd think that after all this time they'd change how it tastes wouldn't you? I mean everyone knows how awful it is!"

The couple laughed and for the first time that fortnight Tifa felt at ease. She pushed the tray onto the bedside locker and lay down on the comfortable bed across Cloud's legs where he stroked her hair fondly and gazed down into her face. Dappled light shone through the half opened curtains and glittered on her face like gold only enhancing the beauty that had captivated him since he first laid eyes upon her. 

Feeling his watch upon her, she turned her deep burgundy eyes to gaze back at him. She met his icy-blue stare with a content smile and she reached up and brushed his cheek with her hand.

"Are you happy?" she asked him in a soft, barely audible voice.

"Of course I am," he whispered in reply. "I have the most beautiful woman in the world lying in the same bed as me, tending over me and fighting beside me. What more could I ever, ever ask for?"

Her smile broadened and she lifted her head, whilst he lowered his own until they were locked in a kiss. Her hand slid up the back of his head and she pressed his lips further into her own. His arms slipped tightly around her shoulders and drew her body closer until they were pressed firmly together in a loving embrace that made them one physically for a few moments, but together in their hearts forever. 

They eventually broke apart and gazed deeply into each other's eyes for a few more minutes before reluctantly separating to occupy their previous positions. A warm, comfortable silence smothered them and eliminated the need for harsh speech in the eternal world of love where emotion was the only form of communication. Eventually, Tifa once more turned her head to look up at him.

"If you could be anywhere, anywhere in the world right now at any time, where would you be?" she asked quietly and he became thoughtful.

"I don't care so long as I'm with you." he answered with a soppy grin and she pushed him playfully. "Really, if I could be anywhere right now it would be in the Gold Saucer when the whole of AVALANCHE was there and nothing was complicated. Sure I believed things which weren't true, but at least I didn't have to worry about anything then. 

"Aeris would be there sitting on her own and looking up into the stars wondering about the Cetra and other things. You'd probably be sat with Barret and Red talking about how life was back in Midgar and what you were all gonna do after Sephiroth was dead. Cait would probably be playing poker with Cid or something like that or he'd be trying to persuade me into getting my fortune told." He paused and smiled to himself at the memory. Tifa felt a reminiscent smile creep upon her own lips at the sight of his happiness. 

"Vincent would be sat in a corner watching everyone and thinking or he'd be off walking on his own. I guess that's when he wandered off to do all his vampire stuff, huh? Yuffie would either be trying to stalk Vincent or find out how Cait worked."

He stopped and Tifa continued to look at him expectantly. "And you?" She prompted gently. "What would you be doing?"

"Me?" he sighed. "I'd probably be sat on my own thinking about what we'll be doing the next day and whether we'll have enough weapons and supplies. And, I'll be watching everyone else."

"Will you be watching me?"

"Yeah. Every now and then, you'll catch my eye and smile at me, but because I'm too stupid and because I'm worrying too much about the next day, I won't respond."

Tifa's heart fell as she looked away and recalled the many times that he had done such a thing. How often had she felt that aching pit in her heart that yearned for his embrace; that wanted nothing more than for him to gather her up in his arms and tell her everything was all right?

She felt a nudge on her hand and looked to see that he was resting his own over her slender fingers, entwining them in his own. 

"Not now though," he ended softly. "Now, whenever you smile at me, it brightens my day. As long as you're there, I know that everything'll be okay. So long as you're by my side nothing can go wrong."

"I'm glad that you have such faith in me," she smiled and he returned the gesture.

"So what are you doing today?" he asked conversationally once a few more moments of blissful silence had elapsed. 

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. There's no point in opening the bar because last week when Cid and Yuffie were running it hardly any customers came. It just doesn't seem worth it."

"No customers?" Cloud repeated with puzzlement. "But this is one of the busiest bars in Midgar. Where have they all gone?"

She shrugged again. "I don't know. They must be sick of us not keeping to the opening hours. I guess I don't blame them," she said, her voice trailing off as she sank into her thoughts.

"As soon as I get on my feet again, we can open up properly once more. I can help you this time."

"Don't get ahead of yourself Mr Strife!" Tifa admonished jovially as she sat up and pushed him back into the bed, pulling the covers up around his neck and tucking him in. "That's not gonna be for a while, so don't you go making yourself ill over it."

"Yes ma'am!" he grinned.

She kissed him lightly on the cheek and left the room with a smile and shake of her head. She walked along the landing, quietly past Yuffie's bedroom door from which there emanated soft snores and she stopped outside the door opposite her and Cloud's. She reached out a hand to the door handle but it was faltering in complying with her mental requests and hesitated inches from the cold metal knob. Reprimanding herself internally for her fear, she resolutely thrust her hand firmly onto the handle and twisted it firmly, pushing the door open and stepping inside before reason tried to tell her to do otherwise.

The room she entered was dark in ambience and feeling. The oppression weighed heavily upon her until it seemed like something she could reach out and run her hand through. Reluctant to breathe in the dark atmosphere, she unconsciously held her breath until physically unable. Forcing her racing heart to calm down, she paused and listened. 

There were deep, laboured breaths drifting to her through the darkness from opposite her in the small chamber. She walked blindly towards the source and eventually stopped as she found herself standing beside a single bed. It was pushed up against a wall beneath a window which had been shrouded heavily by thick, dark curtains.

The bed's occupant, Sephiroth, was deep in sleep but parts of his body would twitch sporadically and his face was contorted in pain and concentration as he fought internal demons. She gently reached out, overcome by pity and anger at her fear and she gently pulled back the sheets from the man's chest. Her eyes fell upon the expected shotgun wound and she gasped in alarm. In the place of the gaping, bloody injury was a neat, if large scar in the centre of his bust. She reached out in disbelief and lightly touched the healed wound and leapt back in shock at its realness. There was no denying that the terrible lesion from the power of Rufus's almost point-blank shot had healed over. She knew that his abilities had been enhanced greatly by the Jenova within him but she hadn't expected this.

Even this miraculous healing seemed beyond his abilities. 

As she thought carefully about the unusual sight, he emitted a low groan from pain and she leapt from startlement. Calming herself and taking deep breaths, she moved over to the head of the bed to see what was wrong. His eyes remained tightly shut in fitful slumber and he appeared to be speaking although no words left his lips. She strained to hear his voice without avail and as quickly as he had started to move he suddenly ceased and sighed deeply.

She frowned, and not for the first time wished that she could see into his mind and read his thoughts. 

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Sephiroth found himself standing in a field of rocks; the ground was black and charred whilst the sky was a dark, dull blue as though someone had drained all life from it. Rubble and blackened skeletons of trees littered the floor. If the remains of Sector Two had been hell; this was the aftermath. The landscape was barren and lifeless; no hope existed in this place and he doubted that it ever would again.

Not even air seemed to exist and when he inhaled it felt empty and dead as though nothing was entering his lungs. He felt dizzy. 

__

Where am I? What is this place? He questioned mentally in fear of disturbing the hollow silence that existed with him. 

As he contemplated the dead, almost lunar landscape he gasped as something reached out and put pressure on his shoulder. He froze and held his breath in fear for what felt like an eternity. But whatever it was remained there. Eventually, he lowered his bright aqua eyes and found them focusing on a long, pale grey-pink tendril that looked like a massive earthworm laid over his right shoulder. He cried out in alarm and pushed the hideous appendage from himself, running away and only stopping when he was certain that he was out of its reach. He stopped, breathless and panicked and took deep lungfuls of the cold air to calm his nerves. 

Suitably composed, he swallowed and licked his suddenly dry lips. Gathering his courage and clenching his fists to reassure himself of his strength, he took a deep breath and slowly turned. He had run quite a distance from his starting place and only footprints in the black soil gave any indication of direction. Steeling himself, he started to walk back along the tracks he'd made; his bright eyes darting warily in all directions as he attempted to focus on the object of his fear.

The tracks came to a halt and he was alone. The surroundings were as desolate and barren as they had been before except his eyes came to rest on a large group of boulders situated twenty metres from him. Seeing no other alternative, he started to walk towards them; his muscles tensed and ready for action. As he came nearer and nearer to the natural monument in the sea of bleakness signs of a struggle became more and more obvious imprinted in the dark sandy soil. He found himself becoming gradually more and more unwilling to peer behind the screen of rock. But pushing back his apprehension with renewed determination, he clambered agilely up the boulders. After a few minutes of exhausting movement, he stood at the peak of the edifice. Even from the new vantagepoint, there was nothing new. Everything from the sky to the earth was completely desolate and hopeless.

He bowed his head and shook it sorrowfully with a deep sigh. There didn't seem to be any way out of this living nightmare. He started to climb slowly back down the rocks but was soon alerted to another sound that rang through the empty air. He paused and listened curious to whether he was the source but after only a few seconds it was obvious that he was not. It sounded like a loud scratching; it was purposeful and rhythmic like the beating of a heart as though whatever it was, was purposefully trying to attract his attention.

Frowning to himself and thinking about the next course of action, he quietly started to follow his ears to find the source of the sound. He manoeuvred himself around a particularly large rock, almost slipping and losing his grip on the vast surface. Eventually he stood on a small ledge on the other side to the face he had scaled. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the edge of the jutting platform and forced himself to look down. What he saw horrified and tore through him. He dropped to his knees unable to breathe from the horror that beheld him as it gripped his heart and brain. Still, he could not tear his eyes away. 

The shattered remains of some kind of creature lay around the floor like a crushed shell. Broken veins split and sliced by the cracks leaked black blood onto the sand staining it even darker like gritty treacle. Light from a hidden source glittered off it like molten ebony and the almost overpowering stench of sulphur and numerous other acidic chemicals drifted up and touched his nose through the still air. He almost vomited. The shattered pieces of what had once been a massive, spherical dome of some kind lay strewn around the ground like diamonds on a piece of black velvet. But it was the object in the centre of the explosion of delicacy which caught his eyes. 

Without pausing to think, he leapt from the ledge and plummeted to the ground, rolling as he hit the dark sandy soil to absorb some to the impact. He cried out softly as he felt his shoulder slip out of joint and it echoed back at him in twisted mimicry. Clutching it defensively, he leapt to his feet and ran through the broken shell until with slow steps, he stopped as he neared the middle. At the closer point he was able to make out the object which had caught his attention in clearer detail. 

What seemed like the top half of a broken statue lay half buried in the sand. It was in the form of a tall yet unnaturally beautiful woman without any legs or clothes; her skin dyed a deep pink covered with dark veins that covered her body like rivers. In the place of her arms twitched massive pink tentacles; one of which had been the object that had startled him on his arrival at the dead place. 

She faced away from him although he knew that with certainty she knew of his presence. After all he was a part of her just as she was a part of him. This battered and broken creature that had once held the world under her power. 

The alien life form Jenova.

__

"My... son..." whispered a broken voice in his mind.

Although it was weak and feeble, there was an element of charm in it like the song of a siren and he was suddenly drawn towards her. He found himself taking a few steps forward but rechecking himself he stopped and frowned angrily.

"I am not your son," he said firmly. "I am the son of a woman called Lucrecia. You are nothing but a virus who no longer controls me like a puppet. Release me, Disease and I'll let you live."

The tendrils twitched at his answer and he got the impression of a snake preparing to strike. However, too blinded by trying to remain in control, he ignored them.

__

"It hurts me... to hear you speak like that. My **son**," she answered mentally although there was a hint of amusement in her voice at his annoyance.

"I am no more your son than I am innocent," he contended angrily. "You should be dead."

Jenova laughed weakly in his mind and he narrowed his eyes. _"How foolish you are," _she said eventually to further his fury. _"Perhaps you have spent too much time with these mortals to consider your true worth." _she sighed and he shook his head with disgust.

__

"Had I have known that they would weave their spell of deception over you so quickly then I'd have ordered Hojo to bring you here immediately."

Sephiroth's frown turned to one of puzzlement as he regarded the creature before him. "Hojo? What does he have to do with this?"

__

"He is the one that granted you life for a second time. He gave you your body and ensured that I gave you back your soul. It was not easy, but I succeeded. I did the same for him also."

"What do you mean?"

Jenova laughed once more, this time however it was harsh and grating. It screamed through Sephiroth's head until he dropped to the floor, his hands over his ears in a futile attempt to block it out. At last the cruel laughter subsided and his ears were left ringing and his limbs numb. He could only watch as Jenova began to move and she lifted her head from the ground to look down at him. 

Her face was deceptively beautiful; the features were fine and delicate as though they'd been carved in marble adding more of an ageless quality to her ancient form. Black almond eyes considered him curiously giving no more emotion than the rocks behind him or the blank acrid sky. She had no mouth or orifice but the muscles in the area twisted up to give the impression of a lopsided smile.

__

"You know that you are a clone? Little more than a mirror image of your previous, great self." He was able to little else than nod; his brief time in the Lifestream where he had dropped in the reactor had afforded him with many of the answers to his unanswered questions. Satisfied, she continued. _"That moron Shinra had Hojo cloned also so that they could bring you back. His illusions of grandeur stretch no further than this pathetic planet and so with you, the most beautiful and destructive force left in the known universe he was going to command an army!"_ She laughed at the absurdity. _"But I know that you are capable of so much more... . I knew that they were going to bring back Hojo and so I ensured that his lifeless shell would be inhabited by the same soul. He served me in the past and I knew that he would again if I ordered him to._

"By doing this I reclaimed one of my servants. Through him I had you recreated to be exactly the same as you were before pride got the better of you and you allowed those impudent humans to kill you."

"Why? Why do you want me?" he forced out. She had moved her massive bulk so that she was now half lying over him, squeezing the oxygen from his lungs and forcing him to fight for every breath. 

__

"So that we can once more attempt godhood, of course." she whispered mentally. _"We were so close... it was not right for us to be robbed so soon!"_

"But Meteor... it was destroyed. _We_ were destroyed! It cannot be done again."

__

"There are many other ways. I have had five years to consider the alternatives. Five years!" She screamed and he cried out in pain as her voice echoed around his brain and the weight upon him increased. She snaked her tentacles around his waist and lifted him off the ground; holding him before her face as she continued with vehemence. _"I have been lying here shattered and broken in agony since they left me here! I cannot sleep the pain is so bad and I am all alone; I have been going insane through loneliness and I have been reduced to consuming myself to survive!!" _She shrieked and she threw him around in the air like a rag-doll. Too weak and secure to escape, Sephiroth could only cry out as his head and legs were snapped backwards and forwards by the sudden movements. Eventually she stopped and once more held him before her face. _"I will have my revenge!"_ she hissed. _"As will you for what they did to you."_

"I... don't want... revenge," he wheezed and she narrowed her eyes. "I almost.. killed millions... and millions of people. I... don't even... deserve death."

__

"Impudent swine!" she screamed and she threw him to the ground where he lay winded and aching. His shoulder throbbed agonisingly and when he went for his sword hilt he found that it wasn't there. 

With horror, he looked up to see the massive alien bearing down on him. He tried to run but ended up stumbling through the field of shattered shell until he reached the base of the rocks. Jenova screamed again and lashed out with a tendril, whipping it against his back and sending him sprawling to the ground. He pulled himself up and scrambled up the rocks until he stood on the high ledge he had occupied when looking out over her remains. 

__

"Do not defy me!" she shrieked. _"You belong to me! I own you and I will never let you go!"_

"I am not owned by _anyone_!!" he roared in reply knowing well that he lacked the power to support his convictions.

__

"I shall have you!" she hissed venomously. _"You can never escape me!"_

"But I can, and I have," Sephiroth replied defiantly. "I see your anger and it is through my release. You cannot stand to see me walking free but now I am. You have no control over me and with the gods as my witnesses; I shall keep it that way!"

__

"BASTARD!!" she shrieked and he fell to the rocky floor once more in agony.

Too occupied with blocking out the din from his mind, he didn't notice one of the pink tentacles as it snaked up the boulder from behind him. Before he could react, it wrapped itself around his ankles and he was dragged back down to the ground where he landed with a cracking thump. Winded and dazed, he curled up into a ball and closed his eyes tightly in a defiant attempt to deny the world.

He felt himself being hoisted from the ground again and he cried out in pain as he was hurled against the boulders. Feeling like a broken puppet, he weakly opened his eyes to once more look up into her face as she stared disdainfully upon him.

__

"Dead or alive, you shall be mine. Whether it takes a thousand tries and a million years, you will be my instrument of destruction once more." She narrowed her eyes and focused the pure black orbs on his face. _"You are expendable and so long as you survive in this contused state you are a hindrance. I am doing this for your own good, my **son**,"_ she hissed.

His eyes widened as he saw one of the massive tentacles rising slowly in the air above his head. Too weak to move any more and escape from her bulky form, he simply closed his eyes and waited for her.

The tentacle slammed down throwing up a cloud of black dust and Sephiroth winced as the shock jarred through his body. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the ground to his right. Something was wrong. The tentacle had missed him by a clear metre and Jenova was not one to show humanity. He looked up, his eyes expecting to see her still looking over him and gaining satisfaction in his moment of false security but there was nothing. Suddenly a scream tore through the air. It was not a mental scream. 

A real, physical scream that showed true agony and terror; emotions he was used to inflicting on other people. However, he was not the cause. One of the tentacles filled his vision and he rolled to one side just as it crashed into the ground where he had been lying seconds before. 

Perhaps he'd been wrong. Jenova truly was playing with him. Using the second's delay to his advantage, he leapt to his feet and prepared to run. Just as he was about to turn on his heels, there was another scream. He stopped and turned back. His jaw dropped open and his eyes open wide in horror.

The tentacle that had been aimed at him was not attached to anything. It had been torn off Jenova's body and even now lay twitching and writhing in the black mud. He jumped back as it swept over to him and ducked as it made another pass. 

Finally it was still; deathly still. The tentacle was dead. His eyes raised just as there was another cry of pain and this time focused on an even more horrific sight. Jenova was being killed.

Many, many metres away from him a terrible fight was going ahead. Jenova or what was left of her was being thrown around in the air and hurled to the ground as he had only minutes before. However, where he was weak, the creature that had the audacity to do this to one of the most dangerous forces in the universe was infinitely more powerful. 

He watched as the female alien was suddenly flung to one side. He jumped back just in time as her battered body slammed to the ground before him like the Calamity From The Skies that she was. 

Her breath came in choked splutters and her remaining tentacle hung limp and useless. Massive bite marks covered her scratched and charred skin while black blood oozed out like tar from her many wounds. Sephiroth looked up in terror to catch a glimpse of her assailant but could see nothing. 

__

"H, Help me s, son," she stuttered agonisingly and he looked down at her with obvious disgust.

"Me?" he spat. "Help you? You're more insane than I thought you were if you think that I would ever consider aiding you."

__

"P, Please!" She begged and his expression of coldness cracked for a moment but quickly reformed. 

Nibelheim, Aeris Gainsborough and all the others whose lives he had touched and destroyed flashed through his already numbed mind. He didn't deserve to live and he knew that. But whilst he had been the weapon, she had been the controller. To see her suffering so was disturbing, but deep down within his soul he felt elation at her punishment. Would this truly be the downfall of the usurping goddess? Was there really justice so true in the universe? He certainly hoped so, and if not then he would be the one to carry it out. This had to end here. It could not continue and with the forces as his witness he would put and end to her. Was this his mysterious 'destiny'? Was it his fate to put and end to the one who had used him as her marionette for so long now?

He was jolted from his musings as her eyes suddenly widened in horror and searched sightlessly around the barren field. _"I, It's coming!!" _she cried.

The ground started to rumble and Sephiroth sprinted as fast as his weary legs would carry him towards the outcrop of boulders. There was an explosion behind him as he reached their shadow. He was thrown through the air by the force but quickly stumbled to his feet again. With the determination of a madman he started to scramble up the rock.

He pulled himself up to the ledge and was stunned to see one of the men he recognised as being a member of AVALANCHE and the black demon which had addressed him the reactor standing side by side looking down on the start of a fight below. The massive beast towered over even the tall raven-haired man but neither seemed aware of each other's presence as they watched the scene intently. Chaos's wings twitched anxiously and Vincent was tapping his side with his claw as though he regretted not being able to join the expected fray.

"Vincent!" called Sephiroth, surprised that he was able to recall the name.

At the same time, both the demon and the man turned to face him. Momentarily taken aback, he ran over to them and Vincent stepped forward.

"What's going on?" the dark man asked him immediately. "Where are we?"

Sephiroth shook his head weakly. "I don't know. I came here about an hour ago and Jenova found me. We were talking and she tried to kill me when all of a sudden something started attacking her."

"What is it?"

He shook his head again. "I haven't caught sight of it yet."

Vincent sighed and continued to stare down on Jenova's broken remains. "Is this a dream? It seems too real," he murmured and Sephiroth joined him.

The general glanced up at the demon who hadn't even moved since his entrance and turned to Vincent. "Why is that demon here?" he asked eventually with his voice lowered to a whisper

Vincent turned and regarded him emotionlessly. "He is a part of me. I don't see why he shouldn't be here," he contended flatly.

Sephiroth's eyes widened and he made a mental note not to mention it again. He looked back over the landscape and glanced back over his shoulder to where he had originally appeared. 

"I don't understand," he said quietly once the only noise that existed was the soft scratching of Jenova below as she started to re-gather herself. "What is the point of this? Why are we here?"

"We are all 'children of Jenova'," Vincent responded after a few more minutes of silence had elapsed. "She must have summoned us here in mind."

"But... why?" Sephiroth questioned rhetorically. "I wish I could understand."

There was a soft rumbling like a faint earthquake and Sephiroth was alarmed to hear both Chaos and Vincent emit low growls from the back of their throats. He looked at the ex-Turk. "What is it?" he gasped worriedly and Vincent peered out over the edge of the platform.

"I believe that Jenova's Bane is about to make itself known," he snarled and Chaos stepped to the edge to stare down with him.

Moments passed until with horrid expectation and adrenaline surging through their veins, the ground below the shattered alien started to bulge upwards like a monstrous bubble. Jenova started to scream again like a wounded animal as she saw her death approaching and the broken tentacle started to flail wildly forcing the spectators to leap back warily. 

Eventually, the bubble skin started to split and fissures beaming off curtains of illuminous green steam burst upwards like twisted waterfalls. The cracks widened until the ground peeled back like a balloon bursting in slow motion and Jenova was thrown away to land below the trio covered in thick black blood and dust. 

As the earth was pushed away, a massive hole was formed from which arose a black gas in strong contrast to the previous bright green. The acrid scent filled the air until they retched, but fighting it back they continued to watch with horrid fascination. 

Suddenly, the darkness began to move. The shadows that existed within the deepest depths of the hellish hole took form and began to shift. Glowing orange streaks like veins started to appear within it and the three were blasted back suddenly as a rush of hot air burst up from the chasm. They leapt to their feet quickly however to resume their watch but regretted their hasty reactions as they looked upon hell given a physical form. 

The darkness started to bulge upwards like another bubble, except instead of bursting it continued to grow taller and taller until it stood like a column thrust from the planet. Just as they thought it was about to topple over, it suddenly shrank back down at an incredible rate until it was half the size it had been before. The rounded tip split open with a hiss of the black steam and a piercing scream was emitted. 

Vincent and Chaos dropped to the floor with their hands pressed over their ears while Sephiroth winced and fought to keep his sanity. From the open tip formed structures like massive fangs and a forked tongue flickered the colour and brightness of glowing magma. It the same colour as the veins which covered the molten onyx beast. The end bent over like a head and lowered to face the shattered form of Jenova. From the back of the neck a hood-like formation grew outwards and threw down a vast shadow across the alien's trembling form to make the overall appearance even more staggering and terrifying. Two points either side of the 'head' began to glow brighter and brighter until they formed two huge, almond orange eyes. 

They seemed to focus on the screaming female 'goddess' but her cries were drowned out as the snake-like beast threw back its head and let forth another shriek. It towered above the broken alien and even above the heap of boulders. Sephiroth, Vincent and Chaos were too overwhelmed to move or hide themselves from the monstrosity.

The noise like a steam-train screaming a thousand times at once ceased suddenly and silence rushed in to fill the lack of consistency in the air. Jenova shook and trembled as the attention of the serpentine creature was focused upon her and the rattling of her cracked shell served as the only sound in the barren field. An eternity passed and a forked lava tongue flickered out to break the stifling stillness where nothing dared to move. Suddenly a terrible noise filled the air more terrifying that the hissed screech of the snake's cry.

A sound like the screaming of a thousand tortured voices shrieked through their souls and rumbled the very ground they stood upon. Pebbles danced and jumped on the rocky earth as the vibrations rattled through the black soil. It took them many minutes of close listening until they finally realised that the demonic apparition was communicating. The almond eyes blacked for a second as though it was blinking and then the noise started again.

"**Jenova**," its voice boomed speaking with the tongue of a thousand voices at once. "T**he Calamity** **from** **the skies**. **The one who endeavoured to destroy the planet and everything within it**. **The one who sought to rise above her station**."

The creature spoke with statements rather than questions and the trembling bloody accused made no move to answer her charges.

"**You are nothing more than a cancer. A malignant tumour on the face of life**." The eyes narrowed and the head lowered until the three observing the trial could smell the black smoke rising from the demon's head. "**I am the judge, I am the jury and I am the executioner. You are guilty and deserve beyond death; I shall be the one to make you endure that. Prepare to atone, Disease for your heinous crimes. By doing so, the Universe shall be restored and your insignificant life shall be forgotten. **

"Bow before me. I am your death." 

The serpent ended its speech with another shriek that screamed across the dead land. The remaining loose rocks which had not tumbled from the rumbling of its voice toppled and thumped to the sooty ground far below.

Jenova feebly attempted to escape the wrath of her persecutor by dragging her battered body away using the barely functioning tentacle. However, to halt her pathetic movements a tendril of the black viscous mass that made up the serpent weaved out and wrapped around the tentacle. It froze and time paused for a brief second. But as the trio watched the black tendril started to glow brighter and brighter until it was the same colour as the lava veins. 

Jenova shrieked and wisps of vile smelling smoke dispersed into the air as the corpulent appendage started to melt. Eventually when the light became too much to watch, there was a thump and the tentacle melted off and landed in the dust throwing up a cloud as it continued to hiss, filling the air with the sweet smell of burning flesh. 

Jenova now writhed on the ground uselessly screaming and wailing in agony; both physical and in that of defeat. Her cries were ended abruptly however as a serpentine head suddenly lunged down and lifted once more with the statuesque form in its mouth. Now the terror that had manipulated thousands of years of life hung like a worn-out toy in the jaws of a puppy. The creature shook its head and black blood was sprayed out across the landscape coating the onlookers with a strong sulphuric stench. 

Chaos lunged forward with wings wide open to protect Vincent and the acid blood sprayed across the crimson membrane and hissed loudly as it reacted with the delicate skin. Sephiroth dived behind a nearby rock crying out as some of the blood hit him on the boot and started to melt through. Chaos screamed and Vincent's own cries joined in, mingled with those of Jenova's until there was a cacophony of agony ringing in the once dead air.

It wasn't long before the gruesome rain ceased falling and the wails died out leaving their hideous tune ringing in the ears of all present. Sephiroth lifted his head from behind the rock and looked over at Chaos and Vincent. Their bodies lay intertwined with the more massive form of the demon lying over the ex-Turk as if to protect him. Smoke rose up off the black skin and patches of scarlet stained the rock near around as blood seeped from the charred wounds. He grimaced but couldn't prevent himself from feeling thankful it was Chaos rather than Vincent. 

His thoughts came too quickly however as the demon painfully eased itself up to reveal Vincent's fear stricken person. He was curled up tightly in a ball and although no wounds had touched his unnaturally pale skin, his eyes were terrifyingly wide and his mouth was aghast. He'd been drained of all colour and seemed little more than a corpse. Sephiroth gasped as the red-cloaked figure didn't move even after his living shield had moved away. From the distance it wasn't overly hard to see that he was dead. The silver-haired man vaulted over the side of the small boulder and sprinted over to the AVALANCHE member where he knelt down and stared into his pale face.

"V, Valentine?" he stuttered worriedly. "Vincent!"

He bowed his head sorrowfully realising that it was futile to even hope for a reaction but as there came a coughing and spluttering, he leapt in shock and gazed down in horror at Vincent as he started to choke.

The vampire rolled over onto his stomach and then pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Taking a few breaths, he suddenly vomited blood and the terrible red pool flowed outwards and ran over the edge of the high rocky platform. Despite the desolate and hopeless surroundings, Sephiroth couldn't help but feel a wave of relief.

"I thought you were dead," he breathed.

Vincent crudely wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and regarded Sephiroth with a ruby stare. "I get that a lot," he responded dryly.

He lifted his head and glanced over at the dark shape of Chaos leaning up against a wall of rock from which the ledge jutted out. The black demon was covered in gaping charred wounds and blood dripped freely onto the dusty ground. Vincent grimaced as he stood, clutching at invisible wounds and finding it difficult to walk as he stumbled over to the conjuration of his own dark side.

Sephiroth observed him as he had a one-sided conversation with Chaos in low murmurs. Unable to hear the words spoken, he turned on his heel and strode to the edge of the platform to look out on the destruction. As he watched, the demonic cobra spat out the torn corpse of what was left of Jenova disdainfully and stared coolly at the place where the fleshy heap landed. It fizzed and boiled unprompted; burnt away by its own acid and soon nothing was left except a hissing mound of tissue. 

Satisfied that its prey was dead, the onyx serpent turned and directed its stare at the black clad figure of the SOLDIER as he stood defiantly, covered in dust and tears. The resolution and strength that glittered in his aqua eyes was unmistakable. However, the creature seemed less than threatened by the unspoken warning and amusement seemed to shimmer in its own amber orbs. 

Swallowing nervously in the presence of a greater power, Sephiroth clenched and unclenched his fists warily and continued to stare up at the towering monster as it seemed to hypnotise him. Eventually tearing his mind away from what he was certain the beast wished him to think, he coughed.

"Thank you," he began uncertainly after many long minutes of silence had elapsed.

The amusement in its eyes seemed to increase and its tongue flickered. "**You thank me,** **Son of Jenova**?" it asked and Sephiroth made no motion to answer. "**I am curious.**"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed. "I am not the son of that virus," he retorted , attempting in vain to keep his annoyance in check. "I do not wish to be affiliated with It in any way."

The serpent's head tilted to one side. "**You share the same cells, you and her,**" it boomed in answer and Sephiroth's head lowered. 

"That was not by choice," he replied sadly. "I do not belong to her and I am not a part of her."

"**It matter not what you believe Mortal. You are the one who tried to destroy the planet. You hold a part of her which can never be removed and so you are inexplicably bound to her. For that alone you deserve death."**

Sephiroth nodded. "I have never doubted that," he whispered. "And I wish to the gods that I still was. However fate resurrected me and I shall not turn on a second chance if I can redeem myself in any way."

"**Redeem yourself??**" it exclaimed. A harrowing sound tore through the plains and the earth vibrated as the beast threw back its head and let out a cold, hollow laughter. "**You can never be cleansed for what you have done, Son of Jenova. Whether you can feel regret on your actions or not does not cleanse you of your deeds. You are still nothing more than her puppet; you are nothing more than one of her tentacles. While you live, so does she. I cannot allow that."**

Sephiroth opened his mouth to object but he felt a soft nudge on his arm and turned to see Vincent standing weakly next to him, half supported by Chaos. 

"So you will kill him?" the vampire asked rhetorically. "Despite his atonement and regret you will turn on that and murder him anyway?"

Again the beast threw back its head in laughter and they winced as the sharp sound pierced their eardrums. Eventually the creature stopped and regarded them with cruel amusement. "**I do not _have_ to kill you, I can save or damn you both at a whim if I so wish. With the death of Jenova, you, her sons shall also perish. Without her alive you are only mortal after all. For me to kill you both now would be the most humane solution. I could save you from the prolonged death that the ravages of time have to offer you." **Black lips turned upwards in a fiendish grin. "**I cannot help but believe I would find the greatest satisfaction however in being the one to end the legacy of that virus. Because of that you have been brought here."**

"We have been summoned to die?" yelled Sephiroth fiercely while Chaos let out a furious roar. "What kind of a sick joke is this??"

"**I assure you that the only amusement to be gained in this situation shall be my own when I pulverise your corpses as I did you mother's."**

Before they could speak again, the head jabbed forward. Sephiroth's fighting instincts warned him of the move and he leapt as the fangs struck rock, tearing the thick slab from the wall it sprouted from. Chaos wrapped massive arms around Vincent's weak waist and beat its wings powerfully until they rose high into the air.

Sephiroth once more landed on his dislocated shoulder and screamed as the joint completely shattered under the clumsy landing. He only managed to roll away in time to prevent being bitten in half as the serpent dived down; slavering jaws open in preparation for the contact with flesh. The ground exploded as the viscous snake hit hard stone and lost its form, reduced to the puddle of liquid that it was. 

Sephiroth stumbled away to hide behind the rock edifice but a tendril of the black liquid burst up from the dark lake and wrapped around his ankle. He cried out as he was pulled to the floor and dragged along the dust towards the shapeless mass that was slowly reforming into the hooded cobra. 

The line was severed as Chaos swooped down still clutching his passenger. A well-tilted wing sliced through the connection and Sephiroth sprinted as quickly as his legs would carry him away from the monstrosity. The crimson winged demon started to lift higher and higher into the air once more in preparation for another assault. But as he did, a geyser of the black fluid broke the surface of the lake and collided with the flying demon. 

Stunned and winded, Chaos couldn't control itself and started to dive downwards, smothered in the fluid. Vincent closed his eyes emotionlessly without a sound and braced himself for impact while his carrier persisted to fight off the choking substance. Eventually after a few seconds that seemed like an eternity of agonised struggling, they hit the dark lake with a tary explosion. The semi-solid collapsed back in on itself to hide the contact point and with a subdued splash, both Chaos and Vincent were swallowed within the black depths.

Sephiroth gasped in horror from his vantagepoint behind a large boulder. Both Chaos and Valentine felled in one vile and unfair swoop; drowned and smothered within the black depths of the hideous pool. He wanted to vomit and couldn't suppress the bile rising up the back of his throat. Attempting to choke it back, he gagged loudly. 

He regretted his sudden noise however as a serpentine head rose from the middle of the lake and stared towards him. Holding his breath to avoid detection, it didn't take him long to realise that his lame attempt was useless. The lake started the shrink back in on itself to once more form the cylindrical body of the snake and it coiled around itself in a pose that reminded him eerily of the Midgar Zolom before it lunged. The serpent swayed to and fro as it surveyed its surroundings with murderous intent. Its tongue flickering in and out expectantly, it slowly came back down and started to slither across the grainy sand towards the outcrop of boulders. 

Ducking as low as he could whilst still clutching his shattered joint, Sephiroth could do little more than hide. The sound of the dirt scratching and tearing against smooth skin reached a crescendo as the beast moved closer and closer to his trembling form. But all at once it ceased. Minutes passed with nothing but shallow breathing and silent prayers to whatever gods were listening. 

Eventually when silence had elapsed for an unbearably long time, Sephiroth dared to lift his head and peer behind him towards where the demonic snake had been the last time he'd looked. But there was nothing. It seemed as though it had disappeared and anger swelled his heart as he realised that it had taken the bodies of Vincent and Chaos within it. 

Bowing his head sorrowfully he pushed off from the large stone and stumbled away. He didn't care if the serpent was present; if it was lying in wait for him so that it didn't have to bother searching. What was the point? He was the son of Jenova and the beast was right. He deserved worse than death. He had waited many years for such a punishment to arrive and perhaps it was time to face it. 

"Here I am you bastard!!" he screamed as he walked away from the sheltered pile and out into the black plains towards where he had originally appeared. "I won't hide! I've had enough of hiding. Come and get me! Make me do what you think I deserve! I won't object; in fact I'll welcome it. Come on!!"

He was now standing metres away from his first set of footprints that tarnished the barren landscape. There was no sign of the death-bringer and he was starting to feel weak. He fell to the floor and threw off his elbow high black leather gloves to wipe his forehead half-heartedly. It was all a joke; it had to be a sick and twisted joke that someone was playing on him. He was ready to take the blame and they were even going to snatch that from his grasp. What was the point any more? 

He slumped down onto the ground and put his face in his hands. It was useless.

He took a deep breath and opened his mouth to shout more abuse at whoever or whatever was listening but he paused as something caught his eye. There was a definite movement coming from the direction of the group of boulders. Squinting against the weak light that seemed to emanate from the sky; he focused his eyes upon the source of his interest. The snake had reappeared and was now twisting itself around the rocks like a coiled black spring. He stood but the massive creature didn't even glance in his direction.

He considered calling to it; making his presence better known if his stark silver hair wasn't already obvious enough against the black ground. However, a sudden and loud crack burst through the air as if someone had fired a gunshot near his head and it tore him rudely from his thoughts. The snake opened its mouth and let forth another terrible roar that echoed against invisible walls and rang through the landscape. Another loud crack boomed out and it was followed by an ominous rumbling. 

As Sephiroth watched, the snake shrieked and uncoiled itself. The miniature-mountain gave a weary groan and gradually collapsed; rolling out across the ground throwing up a colossal dust-cloud that was swept high up into the air. 

Sephiroth choked and coughed on the thick atmosphere and wafted the haze from his face. When the black screen eventually cleared there was nothing left of the rocks that had served as his only shelter on the open plains. They were little more than rubble. He gasped at the strength of the creature that had destroyed Jenova and created her tomb in an act of might and pure hatred.

A black and lava-veined, hooded-head appeared from opposite the gravel heap and regarded him from the great distance with vivid orange eyes tearing him from his awe inspired thoughts. A forked tongue flickered out like a bolt of lightening against the ebony body and seemingly satisfied of its prey, the serpent started to slither over the pile towards him. It moved at an astonishing speed as it appeared to flow across the sea of raven sand; dust clouds spewing up either side of its massive, long bulk.

Sephiroth stood and tilted his chin up defiantly to face to the towering creature that bore down upon him. Sweat beaded upon his brow and his legs felt numb but he remained standing. Eventually, the serpent slowed and its head stopped barely ten metres away from him. It was huge even from the slight distance. 

He predicted in his last moments out of something to do in order to keep himself calm that the head alone was five metres long from 'snout' to back. From the tip of the nose to the tail that was split into three separate tips he estimated one-hundred-and-thirty metres in total. Its girth was at least ten metres and he grimaced as he thought of Vincent and Chaos smothered in the inky viscous liquid. 

Dragging his eyes from the rest of the serpent's body, he lifted his face to look into its eyes. They smouldered like hot coals in an old fireplace except pure hatred and loathing were the only fuels for these inner fires. The magma cracks that ran like rivers across its body seemed to glow and dim with a slow rhythm. As he stared into the almond eyes he found himself slowly mesmerised by the slow throbbing.

"**You have no weapon. You have no shelter and no-one to turn to, Son of Jenova,"** the creature boomed to break the silence. The very ground that Sephiroth stood upon shook and trembled with every syllable and he clenched his jaw to stop himself from crying out in terror. "**It is your time**."

Sephiroth almost nodded. 

He almost opened his arms providing an easy target for the black fangs to sink into and end his pathetic existence. 

He almost relished the thought of sinking back into oblivion and surrendering to the will of the demonic cobra as it swayed rhythmically before him. 

He almost gave up. 

Almost............. .

Sephiroth paused. 

This wasn't right. 

Chaos and Vincent had given their lives for him to live and fate had brought him back to redeem himself. 'Destiny' was the only reason given to him. Destiny was controlled by the greater beings who watched such tragic ballets. Destiny controlled by the universe itself.

Who was he to throw it back in their faces? He had destroyed one life; was it his right to ruin another?

Sephiroth slowly lifted his head and looked back at the creature with a frown as realisation hit him like a tidal wave and threw his mind to its feet. This wasn't the way it was meant to be. He had to sort his head out and finally understand that. Slipping back to his pathetic, futile existence in the Lifestream before this had all begun seemed so simple. But since when had he chosen the simple route? 

Now wasn't the time to start.

"No."

The serpent stopped and drew back until it towered many metres above him. He was forced to crane his neck in order to meet its burning gaze but he never lost his resolution.

"**You dare to defy me, virus**?" it screamed in its many tortured voices furiously.

He nodded. "I am no virus though. I was once a part of Jenova during which time I was drunk with power and hatred. But I have changed. I may contain a part of her but it has been made redundant. Slay that part of me if you will, but to kill me would be like destroying a human. I am not innocent. I do not deserve to live by my own beliefs but I have been reborn and I shall not deny fate the chance to deal me again in whatever game it persists in playing."

"**Then you believe yourself to be human, silver-haired one?**"

"I do."

"**Then remain safe within that illusion. It matters not. Humans and all other creatures pollute the Planet and sap it of its energy. You have made the wrong choice mortal.**"

"Choice? You think that I chose to be created in the first place? I was born and I have lived; I am what I am."

"**And what you are is a leech on the Earth; draining its spirit and poisoning it with your own. Human or child of the parasite Jenova you must perish.**." The glowing eyes narrowed and Sephiroth felt the hatred and loathing flow like a gas off the creature's body. He swallowed nervously.

"So all living things have to die," he stated more to himself than his company who nodded at his realisation. 

"**I shall be the one to purge the Planet of this disease. The disease called 'life'. I will avenge those who sought to destroy the place of their birth and restore the balance once more. I am the Vigilante.**"

The snake let forth a hiss like that of a thousand grains of sand falling in a timepiece and Sephiroth felt his last seconds counting away with every golden piece of grit. The Vigilante rose up until its head was barely visible and his mouth dropped open at the enormity of his fate. Like a tree felling, the serpent started to bend downwards at the awesome speed of a cobra striking a paralysed victim. He closed his eyes and prepared for the wicked jaws to clamp down on his body and shake the life from it as the beast had done to Jenova before him. 

However, it never came.

Metres away from Sephiroth's rigid form, the head of the onyx serpent suddenly exploded showering a rain of black and orange tar over him. His eyes open in alarm and he leapt back as the snake's torso collapsed to the ground with an earth-shattering boom as a crimson and ebony streak burst from the remaining, steaming stump and darted into the air quickly becoming little more than a speck. 

As the body of the viscous beast hit the ground it burst, and the dark lake it had formed from was created again. A tidal wave of the vile smelling liquid rushed towards the gaping observer, and spurned on by fear, he sprinted away and somehow outran the onyx tsunami. 

Finally safe, he stopped and turned back around to see the extent of the jet-black pool. It stretched on for as far as his eyes could see and further, filling the air with its sulphuric stench. Like a mirror, he could see his own reflection when he dared to look down upon it but as a measly bubble broke the surface, he jumped back and took a few cautious steps away. The earth started to vibrate and a hideous screaming filled the dead air.

"**I shall kill you yet Viruses**!" the bodiless voice screamed**. "One way or another you shall both be mine!!**"

And then there was silence. 

Cold oppressive silence that seemed more terrifying than the remains of the beast itself. 

Eventually as he watched, the lake started to disappear as it began seeping into the ground. After an agonising few seconds, the entire dark puddle had drained away leaving the horizon and surroundings as bleak, lifeless and barren as they had been before. 

The weakness overcame him once more and with a weary sigh Sephiroth fell to the floor on his hands and knees. The creature had been defeated for now but its threat hung in the air like it's acrid smell which made him want to choke. His ripped trench-coat and bare hands reeked of the foul chemicals while his long hair had been plastered to his face due to the sweat pouring from his forehead. 

He had to get away before it returned, but where? He didn't even know where he was. The whole place in its lifeless entirety could only exist in a nightmare; in the deepest, darkest pits of a man's mind. It had to be a dream, surely it was. 

The last thing he remembered was lying in an unfamiliar yet comfortable bed with the face of his mother, his real mother in his mind. How could such a divine feeling lead to such horror? 

__

Maybe if I wake up, it shall all go away. Nothing as awful as this can really exist; it can't do. It's all a dream... .

"I wish to the gods it were," whispered a voice from behind him.

He gasped in alarm and twisted around to face the unannounced speaker. Vincent stood behind him; the black liquid of the serpent falling from him like distorted blood from numerous wounds that covered his pale skin. Scorch marks and seeping injuries bled slowly while his clothes were torn and ripped beyond repair. His cloak fluttered behind him like a tattered banner and Sephiroth inhaled sharply as he saw the extent of the many injuries.

"Good God," he gagged. " Are you all right?"

Vincent looked down at himself. "I'm sure I'll… live." He paused and sighed. "How are you feeling?"

Sephiroth brushed himself down with his good arm. His shoulder hurt like hell and he felt battered and weary but compared to the barely standing figure before him, his own minor injuries were nothing but scuffs and bruises. "I'm all right but you look terrible. Here, let me take a look at those burns."

He reached out but Vincent drew back like a cat and bared his fangs in a feral threat as he gave a piercing hiss. "Don't touch me!" he growled and Sephiroth's eyes widened. 

"I was trained in SOLDIER how to tend to wounds. I'll try not to hurt you."

He took a step forward in another attempt to console the ex-Turk but again he was met with hostility. "I told you not to touch me!" Vincent snarled and he leapt back with astonishing agility, regarding the silver-haired warrior with furious red eyes.

Not fully comprehending but harbouring no desire to push the matter, Sephiroth sat back down on the gritty floor and shivered as a chilling wind suddenly blew through the plains from nowhere. It swirled in the distance pulling columns of the black sand into the air like brief stalagmites as they reached up to the dull heavens and collapsed back down again. 

Silence reclaimed its territory over the barren landscape and Sephiroth felt his eyelids get heavier and heavier until he almost teetered over onto his side. Admonishing himself mentally, he stood and started to pace, ignoring Vincent's wary eyes following his every move. 

He dared a couple of glances towards the tattered vampire and every time his aqua gaze was met with a harsh ruby one. Eventually he stopped and turned to face him.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, anger creeping into his voice. "Why don't you say something instead of just sitting there and staring at me?"

Vincent blinked slowly but said nothing.

"Where's that demon? Where's Chaos?" he asked and he noticed the golden claw at Vincent's side clench briefly.

"It is here." 

Sephiroth stopped and glanced around the surroundings. He frowned at his inability to locate it and finally turned back to his dark company. "I don't see it."

"You're looking at it now," came the calm reply and Sephiroth's brow creased in puzzlement.

"I see you, and I see a lot of black dust." 

Vincent gave a sad nod. "I am Chaos. You see him through me although I suppose that it is no longer correct to give 'him' a name or even regard 'him' as being anything other then myself." Vincent looked up to the sky as he became lost in his mutterings. "I suppose that would be like giving your hand a gender or your foot a name. It seems pointless."

Sephiroth arched his eyebrows. "From what I gathered, you were no more in control of that form than you were over an earthquake in another galaxy. I thought Hojo created another life-form through you that would only appear when you could no longer hold it back?"

"Yes... yes it was nice to believe that, wasn't it?" Vincent murmured flatly. "Sometimes it is hard to distinguish reality and what you have forced yourself to assume over time." 

He almost gave a manic laugh as his hazy mind was cast back to his brief conversation with Yuffie as she read her book in his apartment many weeks before. _What was it called? Oh yes... 'Alice Through the Looking Glass and what she found there'; where life is backwards and appearance is not reality. How paradoxical. How deliciously ironic... ._

He sighed and started to pace; it appeared as though they had exchanged roles as Sephiroth now followed Vincent with his bright, curious aqua gaze. 

"Hojo did indeed succeed in personifying my emotions but I had always interpreted that to mean he had given them a life of their own. He had literally created life through my inability to control myself but I was wrong. 

"'Chaos' was never anything separate from me. It was true that I had to prevent myself from transforming and it only occurred when lost my temper. I believed that this was because I was unable to focus my mind upon keeping the creature at bay." He shook his head sorrowfully and sighed deeply. "It was never anything as complex. 

"When I became angry my form would alter. Unfortunately it only ever appears when I am so furious that I can hardly govern my actions; thus giving the impression that I wasn't in command of my body. The only restraining I had to do on my behalf was to prevent myself from getting mad." He chuckled and gave a contradictory smile, his fangs protruding obviously over his bottom lip. "The very occurrence which led me to my present dilemma. I lost my temper over Lucrecia's illness and went to kill Hojo. I was so blinded by pure rage that I walked straight into his lab where he shot me as easily as if I had been tied down and prevented from moving. I was so angry I wasn't even aware of what I was seeing or doing and so I literally killed myself."

Vincent stopped and bowed his head mournfully in stark contrast to the satirical smile which had played on his lips before. "I killed five men, I robbed five human-beings of their lives because I lost my temper. In a moment of blind passion I murdered them." His voice died out and was carried away by the soft wind as it started to pick up intensity with every silent moment.

"I, I've killed... a lot of innocent people in my time," Sephiroth responded quietly so as not to shatter the delicate atmosphere.

Vincent lifted his head slightly and peered intensely at him. "You were under the control of a greater power. I was in control of myself. I suppose that I could argue I did it in self-defence just as I have done many times in the past and never regretted it. But I could have run. I didn't have to stop and take my aggression out on them simply because I felt like it. 

"The monster is not the form; it is the force that drives the actions. That force is me," he ended in a solemn, sorrowful whisper.

Sephiroth choked on whatever words were about to pass through his lips. What could he say? What was appropriate to say in such a circumstance? Somehow he knew that 'Congratulations, you're a murderous demon' wasn't going to be appropriate. Instead he started to play numbly with the hole in his boot where Jenova's blood had touched him and he studiously avoided drawing any further attention to himself. Eventually he heard a soft sigh and the rhythmic sound of near silent footsteps leading away from him. He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts and leapt to his feet to follow after the solitary figure.

"Where are you going now?" he asked when he was a metre away from Vincent, the vampire's back facing him.

Vincent stopped but didn't turn around. "I don't know," he replied quietly. "Away. Away from here to take my problems elsewhere."

"You don't have to go alone."

He turned around to face Sephiroth; an ambiguous look of puzzlement and annoyance on his pale, blood streaked face. "And you would come with me?" he asked softly. "You would share my hell with me?"

"No. I simply want you to know that you don't have to suffer in silence and walk away like this." Vincent tilted his head to one side questioningly and Sephiroth coughed before he continued. 

"When I was in the lifestream, my mother, my _real_ mother Lucrecia spoke to me. She would talk and talk for hours on end but I was too consumed by myself to give her my full attention. I did listen though; I hung on every word, upon every emotion that touched her soft voice and it used to tear her to pieces when I didn't even acknowledge her existence. I was listening though and I think that the only thing which kept me sane was the fact that she stayed with me even though I isolated myself from everything and everyone else. 

"She'd talk of minor things like the weather and how everyone up here was doing and how the world was slowly rebuilding itself. But she'd talk about you most of all." Sephiroth swallowed and Vincent looked down at the ground, his fists clenched as he held back whatever emotion threatened to spill over his outwardly imperturbable exterior. "She'd describe all the nights that you used to spend together in Nibelheim and the things that you used to do whenever you were forced apart for more than a day. She told me about things like how you'd always put roses on her pillow and take her for walks in the dead of night in the fields around the town. About how you'd look up at the stars and you'd tell her all the constellation names and you'd go for picnics away from prying eyes and Hojo. 

"I used to love listening to her talk about things like that because although I could tell she was sad, there was always such happiness in her voice when she even mentioned your name. She could tell me absolutely everything about those precious moments you'd spend together from what direction the wind was blowing to how many stars were in the sky. She'd remembered everything about you but sometimes she'd get depressed and tired. I didn't really understand about it all but sometimes she'd return after she'd gone to the surface for a few days just so that she could watch you for a while and remember what it used to be like when you were together. 

"I longed to comfort her and ask her what was wrong but I was so obsessed with punishing myself that I didn't spare her with the time. She'd sometimes tell me anyway; she'd say that you were torturing yourself and that she was sad you couldn't move on. 

"I, I can remember this one time when she came back after a long absence and she burst into tears. I almost turned around to help her but she started to talk anyway so I sat back and listened. 

"She said that although you two would always be joined through your hearts and souls, she wished that you would move on and find happiness again. She hated seeing you punish yourself as she hated to watch me do the same but there was nothing she could do to help us." Sephiroth paused and sighed. "All she wanted was for everyone to be happy and then she would allow herself to return to the lifestream and be at peace. But she can't do that as long as we persist to hate ourselves. 

"I, I'm trying to move on, really I am. But right now, at this moment in time, I can't do that. I realise now that turning my back on the universe and wallowing in self-loathing isn't the way to remedy my problem. I was brought back for a reason and I shall find out what that reason is."

He folded his arms and looked down at the floor_. _"In the meantime, all I can do is play out destiny and hope that I realise my path before it's too late."

Vincent was silent. His eyes had drifted to the horizon and remained there all through his companion's speech; their gaze unwavering. Eventually, as Sephiroth started to shuffle uncomfortably under the oppressive atmosphere, the ex-Turk turned and looked at him.

"I want to be alone now," Vincent announced in a barely audible whisper and stared at the general blankly.

Sephiroth started to walk away but he didn't get far before he turned back, anger steeling over his senses. "Do you even care?" he asked in a low tone. "Have you taken in _anything_ that I have just said to you??"

Vincent turned around and glared at the accuser, his red irises glowing through fury. 

"Don't you _ever_ say that I don't care!" he retorted furiously. "I sacrificed my body to save my mind, I renounced my past to save my sanity and I relinquished my emotions to save my soul. You may see me as cold and heartless but I assure you that the cause of this miserable wretch you see standing before you was love and any other emotion under this god forsaken sun. 

"So forgive me if I am not as willing to hand out my emotions as any 'normal' person. You may be able to stand back and decide to renounce everything you have done and become but I am not so eager. Where you used your 'gifts' to become a greater being, I have shied away from my own and god knows I have tried to destroy them. 

"You stand there with your Mako-enhanced abilities; your swordsmanship and strength that came about as the result of Jenova cells and you think with the mind and soul that was created in a laboratory. You stand there and feel that you have the right to govern _my_ actions and _my_ thoughts??" Vincent screamed, his voice rising higher and higher in pitch as utter rage overcame his senses. 

"Every waking minute of every waking day I loathe myself! I hate what I am, I hate what I do and I hate what I shall inevitably become! I _know_ that it hurts Lucrecia. I _know_ that I am poisoning myself and for that I despise myself further! There is nothing I can do! 

"So long as I live and feel I shall continue to murder those around me. And for that, I disgust myself more than you could ever know!!" 

As Vincent finished his vehement speech, massive wings burst from beneath his torn, blood red cape and the darkness that stained the sand beneath his feet seemed drawn up to him. Sephiroth stumbled back and fell to the floor as he started to grow and twist into his now familiar demonic form. Finally the embodiment of Vincent's ire stood before him in its hellish glory.

"LET ME BE ALONE!!" he screamed and the ground seemed to shake under the fury of the creature. With a final diabolical roar, Vincent beat his wings and soared up unto the grey sky and beyond until Sephiroth could no longer trace his flight.

He fell back until the back of his head rested on the gritty sand. This was all going wrong. He had been thankful for the opportunity to return so that he could make peace with those whose lives he had almost destroyed in the Meteor Crisis five years ago. All he had succeeded in doing so far was opening up old wounds and making fresh ones. 

This wasn't right. It couldn't be right... . 

****

_________________________________________________________________________________

Wash away all my iniquity

And cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,

And my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned

And done what is evil in your sight,

So that you are proved right when you speak

And justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth,

Sinful from the time my mother conceived me... .

Psalm 51:2-5


	10. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

by Lucrecia Marionette

__

~Chapter 10~

'Awakenings'

________________________________________________________

Strong arms held him down and he tried in vain to fight against them. However, the ghost of an injury throbbed in his chest and his muscles ached in protest. Eventually he was still and he felt warm water bathing his forehead. Breathing deeply to calm his nerves, he slowly opened his eyes.

"S, Sephiroth? Can you hear me?" ventured a wary but soft voice.

Blurry bright aqua eyes eventually focused on a heart shaped face framed by long strands of dark brown hair. Burgundy eyes regarded him worriedly and to alleviate her fears he slowly nodded; cringing as his neck cracked loudly. 

Tifa smiled warmly down on him. "I'm glad," she responded with genuine concern. "You've been unconscious for quite some time."

"How long?" he croaked weakly.

"A few days."

He raised his eyebrows. "I didn't realise it had been that long."

A flash of worry marred her otherwise caring expression as she sighed sorrowfully. "Cloud's been feeling unwell too. Vincent's been the same as you. I left him asleep in the kitchen a couple of days ago and he hasn't awoken since. He hasn't transformed or anything. You've both talked in your sleep. Sometimes it was even like you were having a conversation with each other although you're in different parts of the house," she said with a quiet, humourless laugh.

Sephiroth's expression became serious and the laughter died on her lips.

"That's understandable. It all is," he muttered wearily and her brows furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"I, had a dream. I, It was unnaturally vivid and not particularly pleasant. In fact, it was so powerful that I doubt it was a nightmare at all. He, Vincent was there." He glanced up at the beautiful woman who was listening by his side attentively. "I strongly believe that we were really there. After everything that I did five years ago… I know it's fully possible for that to happen."

Tifa's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You mean you both had the same dream?"

He opened his mouth to speak but found sudden trouble in vociferating his thoughts. "It's not quite like that," he started clumsily. "It was like we truly experienced everything that went on. If I had to compare it to anything, I'd say that it was some kind of out of body experience."

He started to sit up but suddenly yelped in pain as he felt a shot of agony rip through his left arm. They unanimously peered at the source of trouble and both were surprised to see that it was badly bruised. He touched it lightly and cringed at the tenderness.

"It looks like you've dislocated it; quite a while ago," Tifa commented with obvious shock. "I hadn't noticed it before."

Sephiroth pulled a grim face. "An injury of the 'dream' I fear."

Tifa nodded without much understanding; realising that there would be a chance for questions later. She mechanically set about tending to the wounds that started to appear on his body without noticeable cause. No emotion crossed her face. Stranger things had happened in the past and the last thing she wanted to do was worry her patient. Eventually, the injuries formed at the touch of invisible phantoms ceased and she sat back on her heels exhaustedly. She idly brushed aside a lock of hair which had fallen from its loose bindings and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.

Sephiroth's eyes were closed but occasionally she would catch a sliver of illuminous blue-green as he dared to examine his surroundings. Eventually, the slits of colour disappeared for the last time and Tifa stood up slowly in fear of waking him and looked down upon his sleeping form.

For the first time she could remember since his arrival, he was peaceful and no worries blemished his chiselled, marble features. She recalled her one view of Lucrecia; the woman who had captivated Vincent so many years before and given birth to the man in the bed before her. She detected a noticeable similarity between the scientist and her son. They both had the same pale skin and fine features; some would almost say feminine. But as she stared at him she found herself blushing at the thought of how handsome he appeared. She grinned to herself childishly like a schoolgirl with a crush and an image of her only love, the only one who had taken a place in her heart filled her mind and all other thoughts were dispelled immediately. 

He gave a deep sigh and contented that he was settled, she lifted the bowl of water that had been by her side for bathing his feverish skin and wounds. Taking a last glance at his peaceful form, she smiled to herself and made her way to the door. She pushed it open silently and tiptoed down the landing in an effort to remain as quiet as possible. Sephiroth was not the only one asleep. She had persuaded Cloud to rest a while even though he had almost completely healed and Yuffie had announced that today was her day off. 

__

Not that she does any work to take a day off from anyway Tifa thought to herself with a sigh.

With Vincent resting in the kitchen, only she and Cid were awake. While she nursed those sick enough to need help, he tended to the bar. Business had not picked up at all since she last confided in Cloud. If anything, it had grown progressively worse until now they were lucky if more then ten people walked through the bar doors in a day. She couldn't understand it. Before she had wished for a moment's peace in the hectic lifestyle; now she was internally praying for some action. 

As if on cue, the aura of silence in the house and bar was decimated as there was a terrifying roar from downstairs. She was so shocked by the sudden and loud noise that the bowl slipped from her grip and smashed on the ground; the contents spraying across the walls and floor. The horrific sound was repeated, and spurned into action, she fled down the remaining section of hall and sprinted down the stairs. She darted blindly into the kitchen and screamed at the sight of Cid pinned up against the wall by his throat. Vincent, still in his demonic form had gripped the pilot's neck with a single hand and trapped him; slowly strangling him. Cid's feet dangled three-feet from the tiled floor and he was gagging violently, attempting to support his rapidly dying body by pulling Vincent's hand from him without avail. 

Instinctively, Tifa launched herself at the massive, crouched demon. She ran and kicked out smashing a foot into Vincent's side. Momentarily winded, his grasp on Cid was released and he fell to the floor, holding his throat defensively and taking deep lungfuls of air. Over the initial rude introductions, both Vincent and Tifa got into clumsy fighting stances. The considerably younger woman moved her legs apart to provide a firm base and she lifted her clenched fists up to head height. Vincent was less practised in the small space and was restricted to moving on all fours like a hellish cat. 

Their eyes met and Tifa was taken aback to see in the place of coolly glittering ruby irises, an evil crimson light. Infuriated by her attack which had disturbed the slaying of his first victim, Vincent lashed, out hitting her across the head with the back of a massive hand. The effect was like someone had picked up a tree trunk and smashed it against her skull and she fell to the floor. Her vision swam and her mind reeled whilst her limbs went paralysed and lifeless. The feline-like form of the demon pounced across the room and huge hands pinned her barely functioning arms to the floor. He roared again, his face nearer and fang filled jaws parted exposing blood stained jagged teeth. 

__

Probably from the death of those five men she mused numbly. No fear overcame her as she saw the face of death; she had seen it many times before and she had come to accept it with calm rationality. Her body was too heavy to comply to her whim and so she lay back and allowed herself to be taken.

As the wicked visage lowered to tear her face from the bone, Vincent paused. What the hell was he doing? What had driven him to the very thought of murdering those closest to him in the world? No. This wasn't him. He couldn't let the rage overcome his senses. Not again. It was his responsibility to control it.

He closed him eyes and shook his head violently as if believing he could throw away the very thoughts from his mind. When his eyes opened once more, Tifa gasped. The vivid red light had begun to fade away and now the human pupils and irises of the ex-Turk were reforming from the hellish glow. His lips trembled as though he desperately wanted to speak but realised that attempting to do so would be futile.

From the corner of her eye she saw a quick movement and her eyes eventually rested upon the stalking figure of Cid clutching a stool in his hands. She was still too stunned to cry out; even when he raised the seat above his head. Even as it started to lower in slow motion although she knew that it was travelling at the speed of a train. A terrible crack burst around the room like a gunshot and Vincent's eyes rolled back as the hard wooden furniture smacked into the back of his skull. He almost fainted from the pain; a result that Cid had hoped for but instead, the feral rage started to build up once more.

The light returned, swamping the humanity and transforming the eyes back into those of a heartless demon; the creature Hojo had always seen within their friend Vincent. He leapt back, releasing Tifa and backed against the wall. Cid pulled the trembling proprietress from off the floor, his vision never leaving the glaring black monster. In his hand he still held the stool although now it had been badly dented and seemed as though it would fall apart at the lightest touch.

The demon threw back its head in a defiant roar and the couple felt a wave of fear rush through their veins. A bang tore them all away from the thick tension and they watched in horror as Cloud stumbled through the door half-asleep clutching the Ultima Weapon in a limp hand. 

He looked straight ahead and didn't notice the crouched ebony creature until it suddenly obliterated his view. He looked up and inhaled sharply catching a glimpse of glowing scarlet orbs. He didn't get the chance to react before the huge form slammed against the partition wall between the bar and kitchen; tearing it down and creating a hole large enough to move through.

The bottles that had once been neatly placed along the wall and had captivated Vincent the first time he'd stepped through the bar doors exploded out showering the room's occupants with shards and alcohol. 

The few customers that occupied the bar screamed in terror at the sight of a demon bursting through the wall towards them. Glasses were smashed and people pushed out of the way as they all cried out in panic and clambered over each other to exit the once perfect building. Only one dared to stand up to the massive creature. He threw a bottle at its chest feebly in an attempt to distract it. Bellowing in fury, Vincent ripped through the bar and smashed two clawed hands upon the man, decapitating him and tearing his chest to shreds in a single gruesome movement. 

The three members of AVALANCHE watched in frozen horror at the sight of the terrible death but could do nothing to help. They continued to watch powerlessly as it threw itself against the final wall and burst out into the busy street beyond. 

More terrified yelps and screams reached their ears and Tifa felt hot tears run down her cheeks at the sight. Cid closed his eyes and held his face in his hands whilst Cloud stared on still completely bewildered and confused though horrific clarity was starting to form.

The initial screams of surprise changed to bloodcurdling terror as the second victim of the demon's onslaught was hurled against the side of a building. The defenceless bystander hit the cold stone with a crack and slid down silently, his spine shattered and the back of his skull smashed in. The three members of AVALANCHE witnessed the event from the kitchen in morbid silence; their eyes and mouths open in horror. Tifa tried to breathe but found the crushing agony of what she was seeing too much to bear. 

Overcome by emotion, Cloud was the first to leap forth unwilling to watch the innocent people of Midgar slaughtered at the hands of Chaos. He screamed a battle cry just as the third fell; impaled upon the ivory horns of the demon's head. He gurgled and a bloody forth escaped his lips before he slumped down uselessly.

A ring of stallholders and anyone else who had reason to defend the area surrounded the massive creature; crude weapons in their hands and fear written on their faces despite confident yells thrown at the beast.

Vincent roared in response and they backed away; a glimpse of dripping red fangs and claws was all that was needed to dissuade their otherwise 'valiant' charge.

Cloud leapt out of the breach in the bar wall created through Vincent's fury, his face an ugly shade of scarlet and fury blocking his thoughts.

"Vincent, leave them!!" he cried in a rage. "If you want a fight, take me you demonic bastard!!"

The crowd exchanged horrified and confused looks between the demon and the defiant Cloud. Shocked mutterings deeper in the gathering where it was safer, expressed their utter disbelief at his bravery or stupidity. Vincent seemed less impressed by the display and instead regarded the blonde haired warrior coolly, no expression touching the black, marble mask. Cloud's expression only hardened further and he took another step forward towards the impending battle. Amusement flickered in the pure crimson lights of the demon's eyes as it sensed a challenge. 

Vincent peered out through the blood haze formed by the fury he had accumulated within the nightmare he had only just surfaced from. The attacks from Cid and Tifa had only furthered his rage until now he could no longer think. A figure had stepped forward; an insolent human daring to challenge him despite his anger. Just a figure. Just another moving target. 

The words that escaped the warrior's lips were garbled to rage controlled ears. The figure clutched a large sword in his hand; that would make the battle much more enticing. The target stepped forward and now amusement took the place of anger in the demon's mind as he found himself unable to believe the audacity the human had to contest his supremacy. This truly would be interesting... .

Cloud adjusted his grip upon the hilt of the mighty Ultima Weapon and he felt fury run through his own veins at the arrogance of the monster before him. Before the black beast had been a friend lead astray; now he was a murderer who found a game in the bloodshed. Well play on; if this was what it took, he was prepared to join the sport... .

With a speed that surprised himself, he lunged forward slicing the air with the crystal blade of the sword as it swung in a horizontal arc passing inches from the demon. Now it was no longer play; this would not end peacefully. Recovering from the initial warning move, Cloud twisted himself and swung again, purposefully stretching so that if Vincent was within range, it would carve easily through his legs. 

With catlike reflexes, the demon sprung back and the slice missed him closely once more. Not allowing his opponent time to recover, he pounced forward and slashed a claw tearing through the material and skin on Cloud's unprotected left shoulder. 

The young warrior gasped aloud from the pain but ignored it as he focused himself on recovering from his attack. He felt the hot liquid of his blood seep into the dark blue tank top he wore, but gritting his teeth and feeling vaguely thankful it had not been his sword arm, he jumped back to review the situation. Vincent did likewise and the two equal opponents started to circle each other waiting for the perfect moment to make a move.

Less sure on his feet than the agile demon, Cloud was the first to make a mistake. The uneven surface of the cobbled street caught him unawares and he stumbled managing to keep on his feet but moving his injured arm awkwardly in the process. He yelped in pain and taking the cue, Vincent sprang across the gap and dived down, his head bowed in an attempt to skewer the ex-SOLDIER through the chest. 

Although injured, Cloud was still too fast and he ducked back, narrowly missing the offence. He revelled in his own quick reactions for barely a second before the rest of the demon followed. Although the horns had missed him, the spike tipped joint on one of the crimson wings was slightly outstretched and it rammed straight into his abdomen. He was forced backwards as the momentum of Vincent's rush carried him onwards and he screamed from the pain as they became linked. 

The crowd ran away as quickly as they could with the sight of the demon sprinting towards them unstoppably. Most of them darted away from the fight spurned on by the agonised screams of Cloud and the panic spread by the sight. Cloud released his grip on the sword and held on tightly to the wing to prevent it from going all of the way through him. They eventually stopped and Vincent started to thrash around violently to shake off the human that he had snared upon the bony spike.

With a loud snap and tortured scream from Vincent, Cloud broke the fragile extremity and fell back leaving the demon to cry out its agony at the broken wing. His eyes scanned quickly over the scene of the carnage and he quickly spotted the gleaming blade of the Ultima Weapon as it shed its pale blue glow across the day-lit street. 

Infuriated further by the pain, Vincent roared and sprang between the warrior and his weapon leaving him defenceless. Cloud's eyes widened in horror as he watched one of the massive claws raise higher and higher into the air preparing to smash down on him. He nimbly stepped back cringing as the movement aggravated his stomach wound and clutched at it feebly. The hand crashed down onto the road and stone shattered from the impact. Vincent howled as the bones in his hand yielded to the hard rock and broke in surrender.

Taking every second as an opportunity and wasting none, Cloud held his abdomen and gritted his teeth as he started to sprint past the beast. Halfway towards his prize, the sword, Vincent sprung and made a course to collide and tackle the slighter fighter. Cloud caught the sight of the demon charging towards him from the corner of a wide, staring eye. Thinking quickly, he suddenly stopped and the massive black bulk hurled past him and straight through the window of a clothes boutique smashing it into a thousand pieces. He started again; running as fast as his legs would carry him hearing the tortured cries of the hurt beast behind him. 

As he became literally metres from the blade, Vincent burst from the shop spraying crystal dagger-like shards across the street. Cloud felt them pelt his back like machine-gun fire but he didn't dare to stop. He could almost feel the comforting hilt within his palm now, and spurned on, he dived across the floor, skidding over the cobbles that tore mercilessly at his wounds. As he passed the sword, he reached out and grabbed purposefully, neatly closing his fingers tightly around the handle in a possessive manner. Rolling forward, he sprang to his feet and turned back. Vincent had charged at him once more and Cloud's many injuries slowed him to the point to exhaustion. 

Unable to move away, he weakly swung the sword and to his shock it carved straight through Vincent's middle as his enemy made no attempt to dodge. Dark blood sprayed out from the high wound along with the millions of tiny, deep cuts inflicted by the broken glass window.

A pained and almost sorrowful moan escaped Vincent's thin black lips and the scarlet light in his eyes began to fade until only his 'human' eyes were left. They rolled back in his head and he collapsed to the floor on his hands and knees. Shards of glass protruded like ice crystals from his black skin and red blood seeped out and dripped onto the cobbles. A massive broken hand clutched at the huge slit across his abdomen but within seconds a large crimson pool formed under him and started to spread like a hideous plague across the road. 

Cloud watched in horror; morbidly marvelling at how much blood the demon contained. The broken wing lay feebly at Vincent's side; the delicate ebony spokes shattered and broken. His breaths were ragged and weak; he was tired of the fight, his injuries were too plentiful and some too serious for him to continue.

The sudden cessation of the fight brought Cloud's many wounds to his attention. The deep slices in his stomach and across his shoulder stung terribly and the glass stuck in his back from the shattered boutique window sent painful prickles up and down his spine. His chest throbbed rhythmically from his slide across the hard uneven floor and his very heart and soul brought the most pain. Vincent was bowed down, defeated; shivering and weak on the floor before him. His victory, although close, was hollow and meaningless. He had willingly raised and used his sword against a friend and as a result they had both suffered.

He sank to his knees; the slow blood loss as it soaked into his almost saturated clothes weakened him with every minute that passed.

"Vincent?" he said hoarsely and the demon shook its head sorrowfully. He reached out tentatively and placed a gloved hand upon its head. "Vincent," he whispered. "It's over."

He slowly drew back his hand as the head started to lift. Eventually, crimson, human eyes met his own; deep and tragic remorse shimmering in the ruby depths.

__

What kind of a monster have I become? Vincent questioned internally, his thoughts unspoken and unheard by the warrior who had been his bane. _I am the kind of monster who would feel rage to such a depth I am willing to destroy those closest to me._ The hand which had not been broken in the fight balled as he felt the anger of his own weaknesses rising. This was not the primal rage which had urged him on before; this was the familiar self-hatred for his own failings and shortcomings. The anger that had mourned when Lucrecia died at his hands and the anger which had poisoned those around him. 

This was a human anger.

__

Kill me Cloud. Put an end to this tragic existence. He pleaded in his heart and eyes.

Cloud swallowed. Although he couldn't sense the thoughts of the demon, the crimson irises, the windows to his friend's soul gave more explanation than any words ever could. "It's over," he repeated. "I refuse to fight you or hurt you again. If you still have any humanity left in you, you'll do the same." His jaw set in firm resilience. "You can beat me around; you can fight as many of us as you want but stop doing this to yourself."

He stood and moved to the side of Vincent which faced the shattered front of Tifa's Seventh Heaven. He caught sight of the members of AVALANCHE watching in silent awe from the shadows of the bar like statuettes. Ignoring them in the face of something more important than anything else in that moment in time, he placed his hand on a spiked, muscled black shoulder after removing his sword gloves. 

"This isn't you, Vincent," he whispered in a barely audible tone he knew detectable by his friend. "You've always been proud; from the second I saw you I knew that. Pride in yourself; pride in your beliefs. But as I came to know you, I discovered that pride came from the very fact that although Hojo had done terrible, terrible things to you, your mind was untouched." He swallowed forcefully. 

"Even to this day I still have no idea what you went through; I guess that Yuffie's the only one who could possibly have a clue from reading those books of yours. You've always been so strong up to now. Despite everything, you've always kept straight and true whatever motives you use as your driving force. 

"This was Hojo's final insult. What little I do know about your past with him, he tried to create you as a monster. Although he's finally achieved this through your body, _you're_ the one who is ultimately poisoning your mind. He didn't have to do it for you."

Vincent said nothing; he didn't even move. Every word, every single syllable uttered by his companion rang true with a deafening din that threatened to shatter him. The overwhelming wave of truth was hanging precariously over his head and every new point brought it closer to collapse.

Cloud began once more. "Tifa told me about the killings," he said quietly. "From the police investigations, the five men killed were all members of a thieving band based over in Sector Five. I know that you wouldn't go and kill them without reason so they must have threatened you. But what were you doing there anyway?"

Vincent lifted his head, his eyes brimming with answers but his gargoylic face constantly impassive.

"God how I wish you could talk," Cloud murmured. "What I wouldn't give to know what you were hiding under that dark exterior of yours." He exhaled deeply. "Only you can find the solution. I don't know what made you do this," he said with a vague wave of his hand around the area. The section of the street that their brief but dramatic battle had taken place in was now destroyed. The bar stood like a gaping hellish mouth in the side of an otherwise perfect row of quaint, old-style buildings. Smashed glass littered the street like unnatural ice to take the place of the thin sprinkling of snow which had painted the city a day or so before. Blood splattered the previously clean ground like hellish stars in a manmade sky and the bodies of Vincent's victims lay strewn across the road.

"Only you can know the driving force behind your actions and I pray to the gods that you find a solution. This can't go on. Not like this. Both of us were hurt, Vincent. Next time... Next time it could be much worse. But this isn't you. I know it isn't. You're not in control; not fully. You have to solve this yourself, none of us can," he ended sorrowfully.

Although the crouched demon appeared outwardly no different, as Cloud looked into his eyes there was a definite change. He couldn't quite place it but a renewed hope and faith in the workings of the universe had been sparked and he felt a sad smile play upon his lips.

He heard the sound of soft footfall approaching from behind him and he flinched as his wounds once more started to draw attention to themselves. Tifa walked cautiously to his side and determining that Vincent was no longer a threat, she slipped an arm through that of her lover's. Cid stood on the other side of the ex-SOLDIER whilst Yuffie stood on the end of the line having awoken due to the loud disturbance. It was obvious what had happened by the destruction that lay all around her but for some reason although she knew it was against all rationality, she felt no fear.

Vincent glanced at Cid apologetically. _I wish I could tell you how sorry I was... ._

The pilot returned his gaze with nothing but the acceptance of the unspoken regret. "Don't worry about it," he said with a weak smile rubbing his neck absently. "You were having a bad dream; it happens."

Vincent nodded solemnly and his vision flicked to Tifa who shuffled uncomfortably beneath it but didn't break eye contact. "You don't have to say anything," she said softly. "It wasn't your fault."

He looked up at the bar and the gaping hole in the rustic style brickwork stared hollowly back at him. He pulled a face and Tifa followed his stare. 

"It shouldn't take too long to get that patched up," she turned back to him. "Besides, I think you have something more important than repair work to think about."

Along the crystalline, cold air carried the faint sounds of voices calling to one another. Vincent had heard them approaching long before the people gathered before him had but he had seen no reason to move. However after listening carefully to Cloud's speech, he couldn't help but feel a strong duty towards finding something to help the current situation. If he didn't do it for himself; he could do it for his friends. He could do it for all the people that had suffered as a result of his uncontrollable outbursts and for all those that would in the future if he gave into it.

Inhaling deeply, he pushed himself off the floor and stood up precariously, wobbling uncertainly for a few seconds before gaining his balance. The unnatural healing rate had already mended the broken wing and the smaller cuts adorning his thick skin but the larger wounds had only just scabbed over. He looked down upon himself grimly and sighed deeply.

"It's time for you to go," Cloud announced gently. "It's too dangerous to stay in the city. I don't think you'll find the answers you need here."

Vincent nodded in return and looked to the horizon beyond the city where the stark shadows of mountains in the distance lay like ripped black paper across the vividly coloured sky. 

"Good luck, Vincent," Tifa smiled sadly.

"Yeah, I'll pray that Lady Luck sticks with ya, huh Vinny?" Cid said jovially although there was a hint of sadness in his voice. 

The demon started to walk away from the group slowly but he suddenly halted as a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Wait! Vincent!" Yuffie called and she ran after him to the puzzlement of the others. He halted mid-stride and swivelled back to face her. She ran up to him awkwardly from the line of three and dug her hands into the pockets of her shorts. After a few seconds, a bright smile lit up her impish face and she pulled them out. "Hold out your hands," she instructed and he complied.

She held out a small clenched fist and opened it over his huge palms dropping a tiny object into them. His brows knitted in puzzlement and his lifted it closer to his eyes to take a look. 

She had handed him a small sliver necklace with a pendant hanging from it. It was in the shape of a lotus flower with five petals, inlayed with richly coloured blue sapphires. The stem of the beautiful flower was with closer inspection a delicately carved, silver serpent, it's tail twisted around the thin silver chain. Sapphires, a darker, more vivid blue than those of the flower petals sat in its head like glittering eyes. Despite its size, the object's beauty was awe-inspiring with the beautiful craftwork that could only be afforded by the richest people; hand carved with loving care in Wutai.

Vincent looked down at Yuffie an ambiguous mixture of astonishment and questions written upon his face. Yuffie's smile never wavered as she saw his reaction. 

"It's for good luck," she explained. "It's meant to keep away bad spirits and demons. I thought it was kinda appropriate. I, I don't know if we'll ever see you again, so it's just something for you to remember us by."

Vincent marvelled the object and Yuffie's unexpected selflessness. It was unlike the young ninja to even give a compliment let alone such a valuable item and he felt a great reluctance to take it. He held it back out to her but she shook her head firmly. 

"It's for you."

Vincent clenched his hand around it and nodded pensively. With a graceful movement, he knelt down onto one knee and took Yuffie's hand, easily encompassing it within his own. With surprising gentleness, he kissed the back of it and stood again. Yuffie's cheeks flushed bright red and she shuffled her feet bashfully. The observers smiled at her embarrassment but it slipped from their faces as they suddenly caught sight of the first city people to return to the scene since the fight. 

Horrified screams and terrified mutterings took the place of the previous feeling of peace and Vincent's head snapped up suddenly to face them. 

"There it is!"

"That's the bastard!"

"Don't just stand there! Let's go!"

"Kill it!" came the curses and threats from the huge crowd that was starting to form.

"Vincent!" cried Tifa to pull his transfixed stare from the mass.

He quickly turned from them, fighting the primal anger and desire to kill that was starting to rise up within him at the sight of the mob. His eyes started to focus upon the beautiful young woman, but a sudden movement caught his eye. He flicked his gaze up to a glint of silver and saw Sephiroth standing in the battered doorway of the bar; leaning up against the wooden frame weakly. Their eyes met hypnotically and Vincent raised his eyebrows in surprise as a voice entered his mind.

__

"You're going now?" It asked and Vincent nodded. 

__

"I have to. What I've done here... I cannot bear to stay. Every time I look on these people I see the images of what I have done."

"I'm sorry. It was my fault. I'm the one who made you angry."

Vincent shook his head. _"It wasn't you. Right now something's wrong, something's terribly wrong. Even the slightest thing tips me over the edge. I, I don't know what's happening any more. I need to find a cure."_

"A cure? There are no cures for emotion."

"Perhaps not," Vincent responded thoughtfully. _"But there is always the prevention of the results."_

Sephiroth nodded weakly. _"I understand. Do what you must... and good luck."_

Vincent forced a grim and less than reassuring smile. He tore himself away from the aqua gaze and became increasingly aware of voices screaming his name. In a dazed state, he looked down and saw his friends jumping around wildly and screaming to get his attention. Shaking his head to dispel his dream-like state, his expression hardened and the massive scarlet wings on his back snapped out in an impressive display which silenced the hostile crowd. Vincent regarded them coolly without emotion and turned to face the mountains.

__

"If you see... Her,... tell Her that I love Her."

"She already knows. You are Her son after all."

With a powerful beat, the demon sprang from the floor and hovered for a few seconds before lifting off into the sky. The people present followed his path through the air until he was little more than a black speck imprinted in their vision against the late afternoon sky.


	11. Through the Looking Glass

Through the Looking Glass by Lucrecia Marionette  
~Chapter 11~

'The Sword of Damocles'

Cloud, Tifa and Cid stepped back from their positions at the head of the mass as they fought to keep them and their weapons at bay. With the threat no longer present, the people who had gathered with the promise of the valiant battle started to filter away back to their homes. Yuffie continued to stare up to the sky as though she could pierce the thin veil of clouds overhead and watch the disappearing figure of her friend. 

With a sorrowful sigh, she eventually turned away and looked over at the three members of AVALANCHE who had daringly restrained the angry mob. It appeared as though arguments had broken out between the two groups and she slowly sauntered over not feeling particularly keen to participate in any hostilities.

"You let it escape!" exclaimed the unproclaimed leader of the ravel which had remained to fuel the conflict. He was a tall, heavily built man who Tifa vaguely recognised as the owner of the materia stall where Yuffie had encountered trouble a couple of weeks before. He still retained the same brutish anger despite his earlier scare with the members of AVALANCHE. In his hand he clutched his machete, the very same weapon which had been shot from him as he lunged at the young ninja. Now he waved it in a threatening manner. "Are you insane??"

"You know nothing about it," Cloud responded through gritted teeth. "Go back to your homes and stalls; there's nothing for you to do here."

"Our stalls and livelihoods have been destroyed by that monster!" yelled another from beside the materia stall owner and nods rippled back through the small, dangerously defiant crowd.

"There's nothing I can do about that. It's not my responsibility."

"It came out of your fucking bar!" the leader screamed. "You can't shirk from this! It killed three people today and five further on in the sector on Tuesday!! How the hell can you say that it's got nothing to do with you??"

"I didn't say that it didn't have anything to do with us-" Cloud started hesitantly but Cid strode forward until his face was inches from the raging materia stall owner.

"Get this into your thick skull you Neanderthallic bastard! You don't know shit about what's happened today and unless you want to feel the ugly side of my spear up your ass, you're gonna turn around with your little buddies and get the fuck out of here!!" he yelled, his face a furious shade of red and his hands gripping the staff of the Venus Gospel tightly.

The ringleader's face went a hideous blotched purple through the utter rage building up inside him, but sensing that the fight would be futile, he snarled and turned back to the mob.

"Come on. We'll leave the murderers to themselves," he announced casting a malicious glance back at AVALANCHE. "But this isn't over. Mark my words AVALANCHE. You might have saved the world once but you're only human. You're only mortal like the rest of us and the people of Midgar will have their revenge for what's happened today."

Cid opened his mouth to hurl more abuse but Tifa quickly pulled him back with the help of Yuffie. Suitably restrained, the pilot could only watch as the crowd left the scene with angry mutterings, their hatred filled threat hanging ominously in the air like the Sword of Damocles preparing to drop down on their heads. When they turned the corner, there were a few moments when only a soft breeze blowing down the wide cobbled street disturbed the heavy silence. 

Cid eventually shrugged off the two women angrily and turned back to the bar preparing to storm in but halting immediately as he noticed Sephiroth standing at the door. The once proud general had remained silent and impassive throughout the disturbance preventing himself from running out and putting force to Cid's violent promises.

Cid had been informed of the latest houseguest at Tifa's Seventh Heaven the day after the Sector Two explosion. Needless to say he had not reacted well to the news and the others found themselves watching him carefully in the fear he would sneak away and kill their old nemesis in his weakened state. Arguments and hostility had been common over the matter and it was obvious that he would not relent in his views. The already heightened sense of anger in the air furthered the aura of tension until Cid finally turned away and strode angrily through the gaping hole created by Vincent, passing as far as he could past the silver-haired warrior who watched him impassively.

Tifa walked over to Cloud and once more linked arms with him, her face contorting with worry as he flinched in pain. She met his eyes apologetically and he patted her hand. "C'mon. There's nothing more we can do out here. We have a lot to talk about; a lot of questions need answering."

"I have a feeling that our guest can afford some of the explanations," Tifa confided quietly and Cloud shifted his stare to look at Sephiroth who was looking increasingly haggard and weary with the drawing night. The couple started to walk towards the doorway and the general turned and walked back inside. 

Just as Cloud's foot crossed the threshold, Tifa paused and turned back. Yuffie was once more frozen in place staring up at the sky where Vincent had disappeared. Although puzzled by her fascination, Tifa held out her hand to the daughter of the royal house of Wutai.

"Yuffie?" she called softly. "Are you coming in?"

The young woman seemed to snap out of her trance and nodded. "Yeah," she replied softly and the three remaining members of AVALANCHE walked slowly into the half shattered building.

The ground floor of the rustic-style bar had been gutted and opened out to expose itself to the cold, late winter-early spring world beyond. Large, black plastic sheeting had been pinned up over the vast holes in the walls but as if to taunt them, a strong wind had started to pick up and the sheets were simply torn away seconds after they were originally hung.

The small group of five sat in the bar kitchen in uncomfortable silence. They shivered and inwardly longed to slip into their warm beds but no one said anything to object to the freezing conditions. Each person had sunk deeply into their own thoughts and for a long time not a sound was uttered. It wasn't until a faint bell was heard chiming eleven o'clock when a voice spoke.

"We have a problem," it said and no one objected. "News will travel; soon the whole city will have heard about Vincent and we'll all be held responsible."

Cloud stopped. He didn't know why he had said it; they all knew the facts and they could all guess the consequences. It wasn't easy to find a good enough excuse that explained why a raging black demon had burst from their home into the street to kill innocent bystanders. The threat of the mob ringleader had scared them all deeply with its hidden promises and anger. Terrible things could happen when fury governed your actions. A fact every one of them knew well.

Nonetheless, he was surprised. In the past when AVALANCHE had been little more than a motley, disorganised gang of people out on a half-baked mission it had always been each man for himself. Now however, as time had passed and people had matured, the bonds between them were strong. The arguments which had greeted Vincent on his arrival and the hostilities that arose between himself and Cid were not due to their lack of friendship. They had simply been caused from the misuse of their loyal ties. Four years was too long for any group of people to be apart. All it took was time before things once more reinstated themselves and the natural order which had formed during the Meteor Crisis took shape again. 

That order had made them closer than any other people on the planet could possibly be. That bond meant that each would willingly shed their last drop of blood for another. It had taken many battles and much trust for it to be thus, but time could break no pact like that.

And now as he looked at the three members of AVALANCHE that sat with him he knew that none of them regretted what they knew would occur. Of course they felt deep remorse over the events which had taken place but they knew that something was wrong. If one of them, if one of AVALANCHE faced a problem, they all did. If one of AVALANCHE did something terrible they would all take the blame. 

They felt no worry or concern over this. They wouldn't even consider blaming it upon Vincent alone. If anything, each person felt somehow responsible for the tragic occurrences earlier that afternoon. They could each think of a way that they could have somehow prevented the tragic outburst. It was this feeling of uselessness which assaulted them at that moment despite their inward courage and love of one another. And it was starting to terrify Cloud.

"But what can we do?" asked a hushed voice.

Cloud looked up and his gaze met Tifa's, her burgundy stare burning with old tears and sadness. Their hands met beneath the table and he forced a reassuring smile.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully. "Somehow we need to let the people know that we're on their side."

"That's gonna be difficult seeing how they saw Vincent comin' straight outta this building." Cid sighed. "Maybe we could tell them exactly what's going on," his voice trailed off.

"What would you tell them?" asked another, less familiar voice. Everyone lifted their heads and looked to the occupier of one of the stools around the table who had shrouded himself in shadow. The fury and loathing seethed from the old pilot that sat at Cloud's side but pleas and exchanges of words earlier had begged him to keep his opinions quiet around the general. Although Cid said nothing, the obvious hatred and mistrust he felt swamped the air at even the sight of Sephiroth. Inwardly he all thought they were insane for not leaving him to fall into the Mako and die from Rufus' shotgun wound, but to respect his companions he held his tongue.

"What would you tell them?" Sephiroth repeated. "We all know that what has happened was not his fault, but an angry population out for justice will not sit back and listen to reason. Especially when the source is their unanimous scapegoat. They have started to settle down and rebuild their lives - the last thing they want is another evil in the world. If one appears then they'll do all they can to eliminate it."

"Then maybe we should kill you now and get it over and done with," mumbled Cid under his breath.

The figures sat at the table turned to him sharply, all except Sephiroth with angry glares on their faces. Cloud opened his mouth to speak but Sephiroth shook his head.

"Please, the last thing I wish is for there to be hostility between you all over my presence," he said quietly. "I know that you are not comfortable with my being here, none of you are but whatever happened in the past is behind me. I am not here to begin some failed, insane quest for power once more. I have learned my lesson and I have been granted a second chance to return and prove this to you all. 

"I don't want or expect you to even consider forgiving me for my crimes, but please, for the sake of your friend and whatever trials approach us; put whatever negativity you bear to one side. I don't ask anything of you for myself, but for your own lives and futures."

Cid's expression of misgiving and antipathy did not shift but under the pressure, he clamped his mouth shut and fell silent.

"Sephiroth's right," Cloud responded eventually as the atmosphere calmed once again. "There will be no reasoning with the type of people that threatened us earlier. They're looking for a target to vent their anger and fears out onto and we were chosen. There's no way in hell they'll shift that blame."

"As long as it stays just a figment of vicious rumours and idle threats, we should be okay," Tifa suggested but everyone present noted the element of hopefulness and desire for reassurance in her voice.

"Until of course those threats cease being 'idle'," Yuffie commented moodily. 

The occupants of the table exchanged glances at the normally cheerful young woman's morose remark. 

"The kid's got a point," Cid agreed reluctantly at the feeling of gloom and dread. "It won't be long before they decide to act on their threats. I just hope to be ready when the bastards come."

"Violence won't solve anything," Tifa admonished calmly. "It will only provoke whatever hatred exists already. All we can do is hope that this whole thing blows over somehow."

"I don't see how that's gonna work," Cid objected with a derisive snort. "You saw how big-a deal they made of Vinny killing them five _thieves_ further on the Sector. Imagine what they'll say about the same monster comin' from this bar and killing three perfectly innocent bystanders in cold-blood? We haven't got a chance in hell against the press and tabloids."

"When we were trying to cover up the holes in the walls earlier I saw several men with cameras and clipboards hanging around the alleyway across the street," Cloud reported. "They were probably getting pictures of the scene to put in the papers tomorrow."

"I'm surprised they didn't try to interview you," said Tifa.

"They probably think that if they tried to talk to us then they'd get their heads torn off or something," the ex-SOLDIER shrugged.

"It seems weird how we went for two years after the whole Meteor thing as heroes and perfect role-models," Cid sighed almost sorrowfully making certain to cast a sharp glance in Sephiroth's direction at the mention of Meteor. "Now the tables have turned and _we're_ the bad guys."

"Why did everything have to change?" Yuffie asked rhetorically with sadness. "Everything seemed so great when Vincent first showed up. But then Reeve was kidnapped and this whole thing got screwed up."

"What I want to know is what caused all this," Cid announced. He lifted his head and glared over at Sephiroth keeping his words and body language in check although he mentally murdered the silver-haired warrior a thousand times. "Vincent was fine before he woke up. From what I've heard, you two had the same dream and _you_ didn't wake up so cranky. You obviously did something and I wanna know what."

"Perhaps it was wakening to the sight of you that drove him over the edge," Sephiroth answered coolly and Cid's eyes narrowed. His face flushed and his mouth opened to snap back but Tifa put a calming hand on his arm whilst giving Sephiroth a warning glance.

"Both of you stop this," she said firmly with a hint of anger. "Many things have happened in the past but now isn't the time to resolve them. Cid I know that there are a lot of things you want to say and there's a lot of aggression but for Vincent's and everyone else's sake, keep it under control." She changed her gaze to Sephiroth. "You may be free of Jenova's influence but we are not an army you can control and put down without fear of reprisal. In AVALANCHE we work in unity and you cannot give a speech reprimanding Cid on his anger when you are making such comments yourself. We all need to work together on this and if either of you can't handle that then you had better leave."

A static silence fell upon the group and Cloud gave the brunette at his side an admiring glance which she accepted emotionlessly and he loved her even more. Coughing to alleviate some of the tension he looked to Sephiroth who sat glumly looking at the floor.

"Tell us what you know," he ordered gently and he was answered with a nod.

"When I was asleep I dreamt that I was in a terrible place. There is no location on this planet that could resemble such a lifeless abyss. Everything was dead; I couldn't even see any signs of life other than the ancient corpses of trees

"I thought myself alone but climbing up a pile of rock, I looked down and saw the remains of Jenova lying smashed and broken across the plain. I ran over to her and we spoke for a few minutes. She revealed many things to me. I can't really grasp them now; it all seemed so long ago." He sighed. "She said that Hojo, the one you believe to be a clone was in fact in inhabited by the same spirit that had occupied the original scientist's body."

AVALANCHE inhaled sharply in shock. 

"Jenova alive??"

Cloud's expressionless face adopted a look of horror as he stared back at the general "Janus said that the chances of a clone carrying the same soul as the original were phenomenal. How is that possible??" 

Sephiroth shrugged. "She never illustrated how exactly. She simply said that she had ensured he was exactly the same person he had been before you destroyed his first incarnation. By doing this, she was able to seduce him under her power once more and force him to do her bidding. It would appear that although he acted under Rufus' orders, she was the true puppeteer pulling his strings." Stunned expressions stared back at him with bated breaths. "Using Rufus' plans and resources to his advantage he was able to recreate me and she used her command over the lifestream to give the clone the same soul."

"In other words, she wanted _you_ to be the same as you were before as well, right?" Cloud asked trying desperately to understand the situation.

Sephiroth nodded grimly. "She told me that I had been brought back with the intention of once more attempting to take over the world. She presumed that I also would once more be won over by the promise of power but I learned from my past mistakes and refused her. She was driven mad by my audacity and started to fight me. I would have been killed if her attack had not been interrupted."

"By what?" asked Tifa, her eyes wide and her ears trained on his voice keenly.

"I had my eyes closed originally and could not see, but when I reopened them, she had gone and I clambered to safety back on the rocks I had originated from. Whilst there, I saw your friend, Valentine standing next to his demon form watching the horizon. I spoke with them and he was acting very strangely to say the least," he paused for a moment and seemed to gather his thoughts before continuing.

"Eventually Jenova dragged herself back over to us but the ground started to shake and tremble. When it stopped, the earth erupted and a creature that looked as though it had been created in the very depths of the abyss rose up from it," he swallowed hard as the fear of what he had seen shook his very soul. "It was like some massive cobra with vivid orange eyes and a strong sulphuric smell clinging around it. It appeared to be created from molten onyx with veins of glowing lava all over its body. When it spoke it was like a thousand people screaming in terror all at once and the very rocks trembled."

AVALANCHE's eyes widened further in horror and beads of sweat started to form on Sephiroth's brow. "It screamed at Jenova, calling Her a virus and said that she had to be destroyed. With that, it tore her to pieces and killed her before our eyes."

"I don't get this. It killed Jenova?" repeated Cid in horror. "But I thought we killed that damned monster five years ago??"

Sephiroth shook his head. "Did you honestly believe that a being with such power as she could be defeated so easily?"

"But if this monster, whatever it is killed her, then surely it's on our side, right?" asked Yuffie with knitted brows and once again Sephiroth replied with a negative.

"Once it had destroyed her corpse, it turned to Vincent and I. I thanked the beast but it said that not only was Jenova a virus, but as were all other living things. It called itself the 'Vigilante' and stated that its purpose was to eliminate all threats to the planet. It reasoned that the lifestream was the planet's blood and so everything living that walks upon its surface is literally bleeding the planet dry." Sephiroth glanced around his audience. "With that, it turned on us.

"I leapt to the ground and shattered my shoulder while the demon and Valentine took to the air. It attempted to crush me, but I dodged it. Instead it simply smashed itself to pieces and formed a huge molten lake. As I crawled away, it began to drag me back and I would have been swallowed had Chaos not swooped down and severed the bond. I stumbled away but as I looked up at the demon carrying Valentine, the lake burst and they were hit. They plummeted to the ground and were sucked down into the dark lake.

"I ran and ran as fast as I possibly could to get away but I realised that there was no point. I turned back, resigned to my fate but watched in horror as it coiled itself around the pile of rock I had stood on only moments before. I never realised how huge it was until that moment. It constricted and reduced the stone to gravel in a single movement. That's how strong it was. As for size, it was a few hundred feet long with fangs larger than I am tall. There was no way to escape and I waited for it to come to me. 

"When we spoke once more, we argued about its foolish plans to destroy all life. There was no reasoning with it however and it prepared to destroy me where I stood. Suddenly it exploded and something burst out. Injured and furious, the serpent seeped into the ground and never reappeared.

"I stood in silence for a long time until I noticed that Vincent had appeared without Chaos. I asked him where the demon was and he vaguely explained to me how he _was_ the demon and that it was a part of him. 

"Eventually, he turned and asked to be alone. I explained to him that whatever he was going through, he could rely on his friends for help." Sephiroth stopped momentarily and purposefully missed out his account about Lucrecia speaking to him in the lifestream. It was too personal to discuss before anyone else no matter how close they were to the vampiric member of AVALANCHE. Hesitantly he continued, "I told him how much he meant to all of you and how he couldn't suffer alone but still he wouldn't listen. Eventually he turned and started to walk away so I called after him.

"He flew into a rage and screamed back at me. I stumbled away and he transformed and roared at me, telling me to leave him alone. With that he flew away and didn't look back." The story drawing to an end, Sephiroth bowed his head and his voice became a whisper. "I collapsed and when I awoke I was in bed upstairs."

Morbid silence reclaimed its territory over the group of five as each sank into their thoughts and opinions on the information presented to them. To anyone else it would probably sound like the result of an overactive imagination; however too many strange things were occurring for there to be a sane explanation. After several silent minutes had passed, Cloud lifted his head.

"It seems like we face a greater problem than I originally thought," he said quietly. "The return of Jenova for starters. It was foolish of us to believe her gone for good. With her influence over AVALANCHE, havoc could have taken a grip with stronger vehemence than it did five years ago. We never would have seen it coming.

"This... Vigilante as you call it, killed Jenova. Surely we should be thankful for the trouble it has saved us?" 

Sephiroth shook his head. "It clearly stated that 'all living things had to perish'. I told it that I was no longer under Jenova's influence but it replied that it mattered not because all life was a curse inflicted upon the planet," he informed them. "Whether its intentions for the planet are good or bad; I've seen the power of this creature. It _will_ kill all of us when it gets the chance."

"We have to let the people know," Yuffie gasped. "If they realise that we're not the threat here, then they might back down and join us in fighting against it."

"It wouldn't work," Cloud retorted almost angrily. "We're here right now with the bloody stains of eight deaths on our hands. In their view we're desperate enough to make _anything_ up to avoid our punishment. A liquid snake out to destroy every living entity on this planet? They'd laugh in our faces sooner than they'd shove a sword through our gut."

Tears welled in Yuffie's eyes and Tifa blanched. "You didn't have to be so blunt, Cloud!" she snapped as she stroked Yuffie's back. "You're not the only one worried about what's happening here."

"Yeah, I'm sorry," Cloud sighed as he hung his head sorrowfully. "Things were bad enough with a city against us. Now we're going to try and to save their ungrateful lives and they still want to string us up."

"Maybe there _is_ a way of letting them know," Cid said eventually, receiving puzzled glances from the room's occupants. "If we told Reeve, he could tell Mayor Redford to explain everythin' to Midgar. They'll leave us alone and then we can be allowed to fight this damn spook without having to watch our backs all the time."

Cloud nodded excitedly. "I'll call Reeve now," he announced as he stood and walked over to the phone on the kitchen bench. The others watched with silent anticipation as he pressed a speed-dial button and placed the object to his ear. After a few rings, the line on the other end was answered. 

"Reeve?" said Cloud and there was the sound of an exclamation on the other end.

"Cloud!" responded the vice-mayor happily. "Am I glad to hear from you! I heard about what happened at the bar today. Are you all okay??"

"Yeah, yeah we're all fine apart from Vincent," Cloud answered in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. "We told him to get away from the city."

There was no answer for a long time. "So... Vincent's gone?"

"Yeah. After the fight we let him get away. I don't know where he will've flown to, but he shouldn't be a problem for the city anymore if that's what you're worried about."

"When it comes down to it, Cloud I'm only vice-mayor," Reeve replied seriously with an obvious hint of weariness. Cloud strongly suspected he had woken the ex-Shinra executive up from one of his infamous naps at his desk. "I'm also a member of AVALANCHE and when I heard what happened; half of me wanted him shot for what he did. But the other half of me just wanted to know he was all right. It's not easy for me being in this situation. Tomorrow I have to give a press conference on what's happening. I've had to send out MPs and groups of the Special Patrol to look for him just so that in the public eye, I'm on their side."

Although Cloud's heart sank he nodded. "I understand," he responded quietly.

"But you say that he's left the city?"

"That's right."

"The SP and MP have been ordered to shoot on sight. I've been tearing my hair out about it all night. At least now I know he won't be harmed."

"The Special Patrol?" Cloud said thoughtfully. "I'm one of their members and Cid's been helping out over the past few weeks. Why weren't we called in to help?"

Reeve paused again. "I probably don't need to tell you this, but AVALANCHE isn't exactly one of the most popular names in the city right now. Especially after what happened this evening. By tomorrow, every paper will have it as front-page news. From the reports I've heard, none of them will be in your favour."

"Shit," Cloud swore quietly. "I knew this was going to happen."

"The SP is an independent group hired by the Midgar Office to kill monsters and any other bestial threats to the city. Because it's run by the people of Midgar, it will have been the public decision to keep you and Cid out. I'm sorry. There was nothing I could do to influence their choice."

"I didn't even expect you to try," Cloud answered tolerantly, disguising his disappointment. "I know how much Midgar means to you."

"Thank you. I've done the best I can in helping you guys. But if I get forced to resign because I refused to send out some stupid bloody orders to eliminate the 'threat' to Midgar's population then I can't be of any use at all." Reeve sighed angrily, despising himself for the little help he could afford the people who had been to hell and back with him. "But look, I'm sure that you weren't just calling about that. Is there anything I can do to help you all?"

"There is," Cloud started hesitantly. "You might want to brace yourself because this news won't come easily," he stopped and Reeve's breaths quickened as he restrained himself excitedly.

"What is it?" he asked eagerly with a sense of apprehension.

"No doubt Reno and the others have told you about... Sephiroth?"

Reeve gasped. "So it _is_ true??" he exclaimed. "Does that mean that Rufus and that other scientist were at Reactor Three as well??"

"It's true," Cloud answered solemnly. "Sephiroth saved all our lives and almost got himself killed in the process. We dragged him away and he's been recuperating in the bar for the past three nights."

His only answer was stunned silence, and he continued.

"Both he and Vincent shared a dream in which Jenova was killed by a monster which called itself the 'Vigilante'. It claimed that it was created to destroy all life on the planet; human or otherwise. Vincent got mad during the dream which is why when he woke up he went berserk," he swallowed. "I know it sounds far-fetched and I can give you more details later, but you have to believe us. We have a city after our blood when we're not the real danger here."

There was an agonisingly long pause and for a while Cloud thought that Reeve had hung up on him.

"I can't do anything to help you directly. A bizarre dream which resulted in the death of innocent citizens telling of a monster out to kill everything isn't the best explanation I could present to the press tomorrow. I need solid evidence which doesn't sound like it's been copied from the pages of a fantasy novel. If you can get me that proof then I can help you but otherwise there's nothing I can do.

"If you like I can distance you completely from today's events and explain Chaos as the result of Mako testing. You'll be let off the hook although there'll always be the suspicion in the population."

"It's alright Reeve," Cloud sighed. "Tell them what you want; don't put yourself on the line for us but respect Vincent's privacy. Don't tell his life's story for God's sake or _you'll_ have him to contend with. Just make up some excuse along the lines of 'we found it injured outside the city and tried to tame it without avail'. You're a politician; you're good at making up stories."

There was a laugh on the line. "I'm not sure whether that's a compliment or not, Mr Strife," Reeve retorted jovially and a slight smile played on Cloud's lips. "Listen, I'll send Cait over to see you. Tell him everything you know and he'll bring it back to me. For now, stay inside and don't do anything which could result in more suspicion or worry. I'll protect you all for as long as I can but if it looks like I'm sympathising with you, it would put us all in jeopardy." 

"I'll see you around, Reeve. Thanks for everything."

"No problem. I only wish I could've done more. Take care and try not to worry."

"Will do. Bye."

The phone switched off with a blip and Cloud put it down on the bench. He turned around to face the expectant visages of his friends with a grim expression. "There's nothing he can do. Vincent's being hunted like some kind of animal and it's just as we thought; we're all being held responsible. Reeve's giving a press conference tomorrow but I told him not to sugar-coat the truth."

Looks of dour understanding met his gaze and the room once more elapsed into silence.

"Where do we go from here?" Sephiroth asked as it became increasingly obvious that no one else was about to speak.

Cloud shrugged. "The only lead we have is a vague dream set in an unknown landscape about a giant snake. We can't stay here; that's for sure. We have a population of millions baying for our blood and I'm not intending on giving them that pleasure."

The future was starting to look increasingly foreboding for the small group; no words had to be spoken to emphasise this point. They needed time and they needed a plan; both were luxuries they couldn't afford.

As Cloud prepared to speak again, there was a light rapping on the back door to the kitchen. Fearful yet puzzled expressions were exchanged as their heads lifted suddenly and their eyes fell on the innocent looking wooden rectangle. There was another knock, louder and more urgent although the sound remained barely audible. 

Tifa slid from her stool and crept to the entrance as Cloud moved silently next to her. The couple standing either side of the doorframe, Tifa slowly opened it in what she hoped appeared to be a casual manner keeping her eyes fixed firmly ahead. Wariness gave away to puzzlement as her gaze met with nothing but the alley wall opposite her decorated by a thin layer of ice crystals gathered from the night's sudden frost. 

A small and inconspicuous cough brought her attention down with a jolt and her eyes focused on a small black and white figure huddle in a red cape upon a massive white moogle. A grin split her face as joy surged through her veins at the sight of the bizarre creature.

"Cait!" she exclaimed thankfully. "What on earth are you doing here??"

"Mind if I come in?"

She stood to one side and the robot entered with a slight nudge of its steed which responded dumbly by shuffling forward. Once inside, Tifa closed the door casting a wary glance down at the dark passage behind the bar. Cloud moved over to speak with the cat.

"Am I glad to see you," he said with noticeable relief and a bright smile. "How did you get here so quickly? I've only just finished talking to Reeve."

"I was in the neighbourhood," Cait grinned in return, happy to have cheered them up. "I came along with a bunch of fellas from the Office's called in to investigate the incident earlier. I stuck around and when I was able to get away from them, Reeve contacted me and told me that y'all need some messages passin' on."

His brief report was answered with bleak nods. 

"That's right," Cloud replied. "Maybe you should get comfortable; this will take a while...."


	12. Through the Looking Glass

Through the Looking Glass by Lucrecia Marionette

~Chapter 12~

'Longing for Life'

Yuffie rested her head on her folded arms; heavy eyelids drooping over tired eyes as her ears heard although didn't comprehend Cloud's spoken words. Cid had already fallen asleep leant up against a wall huddled into his bomber jacket as a chilly breeze blew through the large room. He snored softly perhaps in the unconscious knowledge of the important information being exchanged by the waking members of AVALANCHE and Sephiroth. The silver-haired general sat outside of the triangle created by Cloud, Tifa and Cait whose quiet conversation added a warming atmosphere to the otherwise cold and uninviting room. 

She teetered on the edge of dreams and reality as her weary body longed for sleep and her mind attempted to focus on the words spoken. However she was too numbed by the day's activities to remain in her limbo state and the warm oblivion of sleep started to weave its spell on her mind.

Letting out a contented sigh she shuffled to slip into her final resting position and sank into her idle fantasies and dreams; the soft, comforting murmur of her companions' chatter acting as a pleasant lullaby. However, despite the utter aura of peace, there was a nagging sensation at the back of her mind. She grunted irritatedly and attempted to thrust it back but it persisted to grow in intensity until she opened her eyes angrily and glanced around the kitchen. 

Since she had first laid her head down on her arms, the black sheeting had once more been hung up over the gaping holes in the partition wall between the kitchen and barroom. They had been pinned down securely; the only thing disturbing them was the occasional light breeze which had died down dramatically since the previous evening and now only feebly rustled the black division. She shifted her curious gaze over to the gathering of friends and Sephiroth that sat in the corner of the room previously occupied by Vincent talking about the very same demon.

How had her thoughts wandered back to him? She hated not understanding almost as much as she hated not being able to take action. This was seriously starting to get on her nerves. 

_I must just miss him_ she reasoned with a shrug. _He's only been here a few weeks and has been forced to go again. I should stop getting so attached to things, I guess. If there's one thing I should know in this world; nothing lasts forever._

An almost silent, melancholy sigh escaped the young woman's lips. A sound which would have been more than out of place on her person six years ago before she'd encountered the people whom she now regarded higher than her own family. That was sad, she thought to herself with a grim smile. _My dad's the ruler of a tourist trap and the only ones I can turn to for attention are a bunch of weird people who were somehow dragged together to save the world. _Her dour smile changed to one of happiness. There was something oddly reassuring about that fact.

The expression of contentment still upon her young lips, she started to settle back down. But as soon as her head touched her fleshy pillow, the nagging sensation she had felt before returned with a vengeance. Realising that it was not about to fade away, she gave an irritated sigh and sat up straight, her eyes bleary and her body numb. The others who were talking didn't seem to experience the strange feeling that she sensed and with a grudging moan, she pushed herself up off the table and stood. 

Noticing the young woman's movement from the corner of her eye, Tifa turned to face the ninja from her position across the room. 'You okay?' she mouthed and Yuffie nodded in return. The older woman turned back to the quiet conversation and Yuffie took the time to glance around the battered room a final time before making her way through the shattered doorway into the bar.

Once there, she stopped and glanced around. There was nothing but blackness in a room which had once been full of happy chatter and cheerful people. She almost smiled to herself as she thought of the days she had come here in her brief stay in Midgar. She loved all the hustle and bustle of the big city where it was so easy to get lost but you were never without a friend. She felt up the inside of the doorway until her fingers met a small box with a switch. She clicked it on and the light-bulbs dotted around the room in the fake chandeliers flickered weakly and buzzed out their last glimmer of illuminance before dying for the last time. 

She pulled a face and took a step into the once cosy room, looking down as the floor went crunch beneath her feet. Bending down, she noticed multicoloured shards of glasses and bottles paving the polished wood floor like gems. Sniffing from the strong scent of alcohol and past lives she felt suddenly reluctant to walk out into the room where it seemed like the ghosts of the patrons haunted. Vincent's victim which he'd slayed when emerging from the kitchen had been removed and taken out to the street where it had been dragged away by the Midgar Police although the gruesome stain remained. No charges had been pressed; they couldn't exactly hold AVALANCHE responsible for the actions of a raging monster. Unfortunately that didn't stop the accusing people of Midgar.

That thought on her mind, she stepped lightly across the grinding glass underfoot and moved slowly over to the gaping hole in the brickwork. Like the hole in the kitchen wall, it too had been covered tightly with plastic sheeting which rustled and shimmered in the slight breeze from outside. Feeling the need to get some air other than the alcohol laced atmosphere in the bar, she moved over to the sheet and pulled up a stool, brushing the thin layer of white plaster and glass from it. She positioned it beside a small but noticeable hole in the cover; an inconspicuous wind gushed from it like clean water into a septic pool. Like the metaphor, it was poisoned the second it entered the confined space although it served to marginally to dilute the strong, dizzying fumes floating up from the shattered spirit bottles. 

She leant her head up against the crumbling brickwork and stared out of the gap and up to the sky. It was once again perfect. It had been so for the past few weeks aside from the occasional grey and overcast day. The stars flickered like silver torches whirling silently around the heavens and framing the masterpiece on the canvas; the pearly moon. She smiled to herself. She loved such perfect sights; a strong contrast to herself which was often full of muddled thoughts, opinions and was generally contradictory in every possible way. However, as wonderful as the night-sky was, the very fact that it was an image of how the sky had been for the past few weeks made it seem less brilliant. She found herself wishing for a wild storm or even a fresh showering of snow.

Sinking into her thoughts and allowing the cool air to wash over her, she started to close her eyes once more with the imprint of the silvery orb on the inside of her eyelids. Her worries slipping away with every light whisp of fresh air that tickled her skin, she was suddenly startled to hear voices approaching from down the street. 

Her small body tensed and her gaze shifted its admiring stare of the heavens to dart suspiciously around the seemingly deserted cobbled street. Eventually, deep brown eyes focused upon a group of men walking towards the bar from Sector Five. Her breath caught in her throat and she stifled a cry of horror as she watched them get nearer and nearer. Even in the pure light from the moon, their faces were stained with malicious deeds and thoughts; around their shoulders and waists they carried weapons and threats.

She stayed frozen and not breathing in fear of detection as they finally stopped outside the front of the bar and started conversing quietly which each other. There were about ten men in the group all with obvious motives. She strained to hear their words without avail and eventually slid off her stool and tiptoed painstakingly across the glass and back to the kitchen. Once there, she exhaled the breath she'd been holding in loudly and all heads in the room turned to face her; even Cid stirred wearily and focused his attention on the young woman.

"What's goin' on?" he asked with an exhausted frown.

"People, outside," she answered breathlessly and a wave of alarm surged through the room. "They have weapons and they were looking at the bar," she added when her breathing had returned to normal although her pulse was racing.

The simple announcement had an immediate reaction on her friends as chairs were hurled back and they leapt to their feet.

"People??" Cloud exclaimed. "How many??"

"I, I don't know. Ten, maybe fifteen. All men from what I could tell," Yuffie reported uncertainly.

"Shit," swore Cid grabbing the Venus Gospel from nearby. "Let's get it on!!"

"Wait, Cid!" cried Tifa to prevent the pilot from bursting out the kitchen door. "That's not a good idea!"

"I have to agree," nodded Sephiroth. "If we go out there and fight them, then there'll be no way of turning around and denying our part in this."

"The guy's right, Cid," added Cait shuffling over to him. "Reeve's tryin' his hardest to keep you safe, but if you go and screw it all up; there won't be anythin' he can do. Just sit back and maybe I should go and talk to them."

Cloud shook his head. "You're Reeve's confidante; if they see you out there then we're all up to our necks in it."

"Then what the hell do you suggest we do??" Cid exploded.

"Just sit back an' wait for now," Cait answered soothingly. "If we just call Reeve then-"

"Phone line's dead," interrupted Tifa grimly as she put the phone back down on the bench. 

"The bastard's must've cut it," swore Cid as he sat down angrily. He looked up from his sulking position at the others. "_Now_ d'ya think we can do something??"

Cloud said nothing and simply turned to look through the open kitchen door towards the bar. "Reeve might hear about this and try to help," he said eventually.

"Yeah, _might_," Cid retorted with a sigh. "So do we just wait this out?"

"It'll probably be the best thing to do," replied Cait. "They might not even do anything. They could just be tryin' to scare y'all. Some of these people are gonna be all talk and no action."

"Is it worth the risk?" asked Sephiroth quietly.

Cloud shrugged. "There's no use thinking about it. We're already starting to scare ourselves and panicking is the worst thing we can do right now. Let's just get some sleep and hope that they've gone by the morning."

"We'll need someone to keep watch," piped up Yuffie and Cloud nodded thoughtfully.

"I'll do it," volunteered Cait as he glanced up at the AVALANCHE leader. "Y'all look exhausted. I don't need the sleep."

Cloud felt visible exhaustion touch his usually stern visage. "Very well, Cait. You can be our lookout."

"The spyin' cat, turned watch-dog, huh?" Cid laughed and Cait raised his eyebrows.

"I object to that!" he answered half-heartedly which only made Cid laugh further.

"C'mon then," Tifa sighed wearily. "Let's go to bed; we can talk again in the morning."

Cait Sith sat silently with his eyes trained to the sky and his ears half on the hushed conversation of the city people that had placed the occupiers of Tifa's Seventh Heaven under siege. He had volunteered to keep watch; his friends needed the rest more than anyone else on the planet at that point. The overwhelming shock of a new threat to them and every other living thing was tiring terrible enough without the day's hellish activities. 

They had spent much of the afternoon moving like zombies around the building since Vincent's departure; that much was clear. From the second he had shuffled in through the back door with his cheery demeanour and happy-go-lucky front it wasn't overly hard to detect no matter how hard they tried to act as normal. He only wished that there was something he could do. Agreeing to keep watch was the very least.

He expelled a weary sigh and shuffled his paws on his post. Mog remained sentient but stationary as always; oval, shiny black and unseeing eyes focused ahead on nothing but air. Cait patted the white robotic steed on the head and it held a huge hand above its head. Cait nimbly stepped onto it and was lowered gently to the ground where he took a few steps away and then turned back to the dumb object.

"I'm putting you in charge," he stated with an air of authority. "That means that you have to keep a lookout. If those fellas out there start doing anything suspicious then you make some noise. Got it?"

Mog gave a feasible impression of a nod and returned to its original position. Cait gave it a final glance before turning away and walking towards the kitchen door idly kicking shards of glass out of his way and watching them with mild interest as they skittered across the floor with a light tinkling. Who would have thought that watch would be so boring?

Like the others, he too missed the way things had once been. As soon as Tifa had contacted him all those weeks ago about Cloud and Vincent's failed expedition to the HQ he had felt more like his old self than he had done for the three years he had been blessed with AI. 

Reeve had seen it fit to program him with his memories of the entire Meteor Crisis. In effect he _was_ the Cait that they had travelled the world with regardless of the fact that it had truly been Reeve controlling the most technologically advanced puppet of the time. He had never thought of himself has being like that. Although he knew his origins and limitations, he was in his mind, an equal to the rest of AVALANCHE with Reeve as like a father to him. _Who knows?_ He had often thought to himself, _Maybe there's a place for me in the lifestream seein' how I helped saved the world an' all?_

He walked with his front paws clasped behind his back through to the abandoned kitchen. Cid's loud and obnoxious snores rattled out from the lounge door and the small black and white cat smiled to himself. How many times had he played tricks on the old pilot? How many times had they sat and played cards late into the night? He grinned. 

How many times had he forced the Captain into bankruptcy?

He took the time to glance around the room. The lights were off; it appeared as thought he generator in the basement had finally cut out. Dribbly candles sat inert on the worktops, half-melted having extinguished in their own wax. The slight breeze continued to drift steadily through the holes in the black sheeting and it ruffled his synthetic fur without causing him to shiver to complain. As realistic as he had been designed to be, temperatures could be gauged but rarely taken heed of. He almost sighed to himself. To some that was probably an advantage but to him it was a reminder of his own lifelessness. 

The others didn't know much of what went through his mind. He was at the best of times cheerful, happy and there to lift the most downtrodden spirits; he didn't mind that. There was nothing he loved more than putting a smile on a tear-streaked face and watching the corners of the most dour lips turn upwards. There was more to him than that though. The part of him which loved his friends in a way that would make any human proud and the way that he longed for so much more. Inwardly he longed to be just like them; not in body but in _soul_. He didn't have a spirit; just cold metal and wires controlling him and it saddened him more than anything else. Despite his deep sorrow he pushed it back. It wasn't in his nature to be miserable. It wasn't a part of his programming to wish beyond his state. 

It didn't stop him though.

A small, inconspicuous tear rolled down his furry face and he brushed it to one side. _What am I?_ He thought to himself seriously,_ a member of AVALANCHE or Palmer?_ He made himself smile and with that walked over towards the door to the living area. 

He pushed it open lightly and clambered up the stairs like a cat on all fours, pausing at the top to sniff the air. He glanced to the doorway on his left and heard stifled, barely audible coughs. 

"Sephiroth's room," he announced quietly to himself. 

Walking along the landing for a few metres he stopped outside another door and placed a gloved paw against it to push it open. His cattish eyes fell upon a figure wrapped up tightly in a quilt on sheets that had been laid across a series of crates as a crude bed. 

"No… don't go. …Not now… you've only… . … only just got here… . …Vincent… wait… ." the figure murmured in her sleep deliriously.

Cait padded into the room and up to Yuffie's bed. He placed his front paws on the top of the crates and looked into her face. It was contorted in malady and bad dreams. He frowned and tilted his head until it was at the same angle as hers.

Out of all the members of AVALANCHE he had a unique bond with the female ninja. Both classified as the 'young members' of the group, they had naturally been drawn together. They never talked of serious things like the 'adults' would; they preferred to "plan who they would attack with a bucket of water next" or "who they would jump out on to scare witless". They were both alike in their innocence despite their travels and while she loved his fortune skills and terrible jokes, he loved her vivacious personality and ability to get away with murder.

"Yuffie?" he whispered softly and immediately her expression broke to a peaceful mask. "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah… I'm just… …great," she mumbled in return although her eyes never opened. He suspected that she was still deeply asleep. "Has Vincent… come back yet?" she asked slurringly. "… That man… …with the big …knife keeps on… keeps on trying to find me… ."

"Don't worry," Cait soothed. "Everything'll be fine. Vincent will be back soon; I'm sure of it and until he gets back, I'll keep that guy away, huh?"

"Thanks… Cait… ," she breathed finally before snuggling deeper into her covers and turning away. 

Once her breathing was even he smiled to himself and left the room, walking left to patrol the remaining rooms. Most of them were empty; the house was large but many of the rooms were still occupied by boxes and crates which had never been unpacked. Tifa and Cloud had made many friends on their journey and when they moved to Midgar together they had received truckloads of gifts. Out of politeness Tifa had refrained from throwing half of them away and had instead opted to keep them boxed up to save them the agony. He smirked to himself as he recalled the many nights he had spent with the couple in the bar and they had confided such information to him knowing that he would find delight in their humorous tales.

Cait finally stopped at the last door at the very end of the landing which faced him. He pushed it open as he had done Yuffie's and padded in. 

Cloud and Tifa lay in a large bed which took up half of the floor space in the room. When the small cat stood on his hind legs he smiled happily to himself as he saw the couple together. Tifa lay with her back to Cloud facing the window whilst he lay pressed up against her, his left arm encircling her waist. As he watched, Tifa let out a deep sigh and Cloud shuffled slightly, drawing her even closer.

Theirs was a strange relationship; there was no denying that. They had grown up together like brother and sister and throughout the Meteor Crisis they had grown increasingly close; from the moment he had first met them to when Cloud had saved her from a grave in the bubbling lake of Mako which had risen after Sephiroth's death. 

_His **first** death_ Cait reminded himself.

It was obvious that they were made for each other. Although Aeris and Cloud had originally seemed perfect, their love had been a spiritual one whereas the one between Tifa and the ex-SOLDIER had been based on memories and emotions. Nothing lies deeper than memories; nothing can affect the future as much as the past. 

For many years they had shared the same bed; it was a mutual decision although it meant nothing. It just seemed like the right thing to do. They had always been too shy to express their emotions; always too scared of the consequences. Sleeping in the same bed had been a testy way of exploring each other's emotions but of course it had come to nothing. Cait had only just heard of Cloud's hasty expression of his love to Tifa and even now it made him smile. It was just like the blonde haired warrior. Unplanned, awkward and overly cautious

Cait shook his head. He was a robot and even _he_ knew that they would be perfect. He stayed like that for a while longer simply silently observing them; mapping their faces and content expressions in his mind like a photograph remembering them just how they were. He would have stayed all night if he could have; but an almost silent thudding caused him to prick his ears and turn sharply towards the doorway. He focused his senses upon the noise and listened more carefully. 

It was rhythmic and soft; too regular to be footfall and too close to be coming from outside. 

After a brief second's thought, his eyes widened in alarm and he scampered quickly from the room and down the stairs into the kitchen. The thumping was closer and with a sudden rush of speed he darted into the shattered bar where Mog was thumping its heavy fists against the floor in a way that was probably inaudible to a human. He rushed over to the white, furry mount and it ceased its beat.

"What is it, Mog?" he asked urgently but in a low tone. 

The robotic beast turned slightly to the tiny gap in the sheeting and then back.

"Outside?"

Mog nodded and Cait leapt onto its head. Supporting himself on the raw, crumbling brickwork Cait stared out onto the street. The number of men milling around on the street had increased dramatically until now their murmured conversation sounded like the subdued hum of a reactor with the same hidden dark secrets. 

The crowd stood with their backs to the bar and as Cait watched with horrid anticipation a figure who seemed to be the head of the group started moving around on the opposite side of the street. He began to talk and the others fell silent but his speech was too hushed even for Cait's ears. 

A sense of drama started to build with the restrained expectancy of their move and Cait started to move around irritatedly. What were they saying? By the way that they were continuously casting backward glances at the bar it was obvious their motives were not positive. As one particular man turned, Cait was forced to duck down to avoid detection. He swallowed through fear and dared to peep over his barrier once more after counting to ten.

The entire crowd had turned back to face the gutted building once more and he watched curiously as a match was lit further back in the group. His head tilted to one side curiously he pondered the sudden action. However his thoughts were immediately shattered as the delicate radiance of the match exploded into a wide malicious flame. His eyes came to focus on a tattered piece of cloth which had been set alight in one of the men's hands. The cloth burned vividly, almost unnaturally and Cait was certain that the man's hand was about to get burnt. As he narrowed his eyes in thought however he noticed that the cloth was not being held nakedly; it was hanging out of a large bottle clasped in the hands of its holder.

Horror overwhelmed his senses with the shock of realisation and with movements that seemed unbearably slow, he turned and leapt just as the bottle was drawn back behind the man's head.

The cat turned back to Mog, his eyes wide and his voice laced with urgency. "Mog! RUN!!" he cried.

The arm was moved forward and the grip released. The bottle left his grip and began to move at an incredible speed towards the black sheet. 

Cait scrambled panicking up the half-broken stools which lay battered in the broken glass. Mog slowly realised the importance of Cait's order and started to bound after him.

The speed and heat of the flaming missile tore open and melted the feeble black sheet as it made impact.

Cait jumped onto the bar whilst the large white robot bounced around it. Mog's momentum and lack of grip on the gravelly glass made it slip and the momentum slammed it into the wall. It rebounded and lay stunned on the floor. Cait leapt.

The bottle shattered on the softly polished wooden floor and the flames burst out in a circle from their origin like ripples on a twisted lake. They spread out onto the alcohol soaked carpet of glass and the resultant explosion tore through the room. Shards were sprayed out like gunfire and the black sheets were ripped from their secure fastenings. 

The shockwave hit Cait and he was hurled through the gaping hole to the kitchen like a bullet, slamming against the far wall and landing painfully on his head where he lay and moaned from the agony. When he finally opened his eyes, they were misted with tears as he looked upon the flames licking through the hole in the brickwork staining the white, white kitchen terrible black.

"I'm sorry guys," he whispered choking on his voice. "I failed… ."


	13. Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 1, 'Reunions' **__**

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 13 'The Unsung Hero'

Both Tifa and Cloud sat bolt upright in bed the second that the incredible boom reached their eardrums.

"Another Mako-reactor explosion?" questioned Tifa fearfully.

"It sounded closer," Cloud answered with wide eyes that glowed blue in the room's darkness.

"I smell smoke," Tifa reported after a few seconds of horrid silence had elapsed. Her head snapped around to face Cloud and her breath caught in her throat. "Oh God! The bar!" she exclaimed and he sprang from bed.

"Wait here; I'll check it out."

"No," she returned firmly. "It's my home; I won't sit here uselessly."

They grabbed their weapons from their bedsides and ran out onto the landing where both Yuffie and Sephiroth stood, their puzzlement mirror images of the couple's.

"What's happening?" Sephiroth asked quickly. "Is it the mob?"

Cloud didn't answer and pushed past them and ran down the stairs. The door at the bottom was closed but he could see smoke pouring from the thin gaps around the entrance and a faint orange glow from beneath it. Taking a step back, he kicked out and the door burst open, its hinges twisted and useless. 

The smoke attacked his lungs with the first breath he inhaled and his already weakened state of health was worsened. He elapsed into a violent coughing fit, doubling over and clutching his chest whilst the Ultima Weapon slipped from his hand. Covering his nose and mouth with the neck of his night-shirt he stood and wiped the smoke induced tears from his face.

In the brief time that the fire had existed it had already turned the room a charcoal-black. Flames had spread from their obvious point of origin in the bar and were now consuming the dry wooden benches and stools that surrounded the grimy tiled floor.

"Cait!" he shouted over the almost deafening din of the roaring blaze. "Cait, where are you??"

There was a quiet coughing and choking from somewhere nearby and Cloud strained his eyes to look around the floor. Eventually he spotted a silhouetted figure against the wall of flames seemingly trying to push them back by waving his arms and will alone.

"Cait, what happened??" Cloud blurted out as he covered his eyes against the searing heat and attempted to get closer to the small cat.

Cait turned around and faced the blonde-haired warrior. There were tear marks streaming down his face and his fur was scorched and sooty; his golden crown reduced to a melted mass of metal on his head. His red cape was full of blackened char marks and he only wore one of his gloves. 

"Mog!" he sobbed loudly. "They threw in a petrol bomb and I didn't notice until it was too late! They got Mog!!"

The distraught creature turned back to the flames and tried to take a step forward; however the heat alone pushed him back and he screamed in frustration. "Let me in!!" he cried passionately. "I want to get him!!"

"Cait, no!" Cloud yelled. "H, He's gone! There's no way he will've survived. For god's sake, don't get yourself killed!!"

Cait fell back wearily onto the floor and Cloud swept him up in his arms. "B, But Mog…!" Cait wept as he buried his face in his paws. 

"Shh," Cloud soothed as he stroked the cat's sooty fur. "C'mon, we have to get out of here. I'm sure it's what Mog would have wanted."

Cait sniffed and rubbed his tiny nose with the back of his un-gloved paw. He set him down on the floor once again and he looked up at Cloud's face.

"Where are the others?" he asked.

Cloud opened his mouth to reply when there was a sudden crash from above them followed by a woman screaming.

"Oh shit!" Cloud murmured. "They're upstairs!"

He ran towards the doorway to the living area and suddenly the beams above his head collapsed into a heap of burning wood. Cloud leapt back just in time to avoid being crushed beneath their weight. "Tifa!!" he bellowed over the roaring fire. "Tifa can you hear me??"

"Cloud…!" came the faint answer and his heart leapt. "…The floor's collapsed and Yuffie's hurt…! …There's no way out…!!"

Cloud thought quickly. "Tifa, you'll have to get out through one of the windows. I'll catch you!!"

"…What…? C, Cloud…?? Are you still-… I can't hear…"

"Tifa!!"

The noise of the spreading fire became too much and Cloud roared in fury; his fists balled and his jaw clenched. Cait looked up at him worriedly. He would've cried again had he the tears but instead his own tiny jaw set in defiance and he looked at the seemingly blocked doorway. His heart leapt however as he noticed a small, barely noticeable gap between the floor and one of the beams. Just the right size for…

"Cloud! I can get to them!" Cait told his companion excitedly. "Go outside and I'll tell them to jump. Don't worry, everything'll be fine!"

Cloud looked down at him not fully understanding, but as the cat dashed towards the heap of smouldering firewood and was immediately swallowed by the flames, only to appear in a heat haze on the other side he finally understood.

His pause was broken though as he heard on the very edge of his audible range a faint thumping and anguished cry. Snapping his attention from the blocked doorway he turned to another in the wall which had also been half blocked by one of the longer beams laying part way across it.

"Cid!" he gasped quietly.

He ran to the doorway, fighting the heat of the flames with every step. He felt the skin on his arms blister and the smell of burnt hair filled his nostrils while smoky tears blurred his eyes. Still he pushed on until he stood outside the lounge door.

"CID!!" he repeated, much louder.

"Cloud, you stupid bastard! Get me the fuck outta here!!" screamed a furious voice and Cloud couldn't suppress a smile from touching his lips.

"Stand back!" he ordered loudly. Taking a step away, he kicked out and the door shattered away from him. 

Cid sprang out from the previously locked room and leapt over the burning beam which had held him in. Cloud helped him to walk as his lungs were exposed to the fumes for the first time and the two men burst out of the back door and into the secreted alleyway behind the building.

Cait tore up the once perfect wooden staircase, the heat of the flames behind him driving him faster and furthering his fear. He scrambled onto the landing and was met with a gush of black smoke as it rushed him like a tidal wave momentarily blinding him and confusing his senses. He squinted and wafted a paw in front of his face in a feeble attempt to clear his vision as he walked forward.

After a few metres he walked straight into a hard object and was knocked back to the floor. There was a sound of an exclamation and he was lifted high into the air above the carpet of heavy smoke which was dissipating on the floor. Blinking a few times he found himself looking into Tifa's soot streaked face, her beautiful burgundy eyes wide in terror. He was reminded of a deer he'd once seen caught in the headlights of a Shinra truck.

"Tifa," he coughed. "Cloud wants you to jump out of the window so he can catch you. The way down the stairs is blocked by burnin' beams."

"We can't go anywhere!" Tifa contended, her voice a higher pitch through fear and panic. "Yuffie's trapped in her room! The floor collapsed and the roof set on fire and fell down. There's no way to reach her and she doesn't have a window to escape through!"

As she finished, Sephiroth stumbled backwards out of the young ninja's room, coughing and choking on the thick plumes of smog that poured out. Tifa ran over to him, Cait perched on her shoulder.

"Can you get to her? Is she alright??" she blurted out worriedly and Sephiroth shook his head.

"I can't even see her," he reported grimly. "For all I know she could have fallen through to the bar below when the floor gave away."

Tifa gasped and tears welled in her eyes. "Did you call to her?"

He nodded. "I couldn't hear anything over the noise. I shouted as loudly as I could but there's no way she could've heard."

Cait leapt off the tearful proprietress' shoulder and ran to the door, his face turning aghast as he viewed the hellish scenario for himself. Pushing down whatever emotion threatened to spill over and force him into a sobbing heap of black fur and charred material, he turned back to his companions.

"You two get out," he ordered with a firmness that was unusual for the normally jovial feline. "I'll go an' get her out."

Tifa looked about to object when Sephiroth touched her arm lightly and shook his head. "There's no use waiting here. If anyone can get her out it's him; he's the only one that can survive the temperatures."

Tifa appeared as though she was about to shout back at him but instead she bit her bottom lip suppressing a sob and looked down at the cat. "Good luck, Cait," she said quietly. "We'll meet you outside."

"Sure," he nodded. "Just get outta here. The stars aren't ready to stop shining on us just yet!"

Tifa smiled and Sephiroth grabbed her wrist gently but with authority and pulled it to indicate she should follow him. With a last backward glance at Cait, she followed the silver-haired warrior into the next room along with a window, still with the image of the defiant feline sat surrounded by flames on her eyes.

Satisfied that the couple had escaped safely or were at least at a window, Cait padded slowly and cautiously into the room which had turned into an inferno in a matter of minutes. Sephiroth was right; he could withstand the temperatures better than any human but it didn't stop them hurting and Cait found himself suddenly reluctant to enter. Faltering for a brief moment he frowned.

"C'mon," he reprimanded himself, "What's the hold up? You were so brave a second ago, where did it all go?"

There was an ominous creaking and he looked up in time to see what remained of the roof buckling downwards and towards its inevitable collapse.

He gritted his teeth. "This isn't the time to step back; you've always wanted the chance to prove yourself and here it is. No use in running away. The die have been rolled; it's my turn to be the hero."

He found a sad smile touching his cattish features. "Yeah, let's go."

He moved with renewed determination and forcefulness into the room and moved as close as he dared to next to the wall of fire. "Yuffie!" he cried at the top of his voice. "Can you hear me?"

There was no answer as he expected and so he started to patrol along the length of the room. After less than a minute his eyes fell upon a tiny gap beneath what remained of the floor and a long splintered shaft of wood turned black from it's nearness to the bulk of the blaze. Steeling himself, he set his jaw and threw himself blindly at the hole. He yelped as his back smashed against the top of the hole but bit it back and landed clumsily on all four paws.

His eyes immediately started to scan over the wrecked corner of the room and his eyes stopped on a pile of snapped wood. His senses, heightened by the adrenaline-surged circumstances picked up on a low moan which seemed like less than a sigh in a gale. 

He ran to the pile and started to pull charred planks away, eventually revealing a square of black material. Urged on, he started to pull away the wood with increased vigour until the barely conscious form of the young woman clothed only in a large black shirt was fully exposed.

"Yuffie," he said as he moved his mouth close to her ear. "It's Cait. You have to get up quickly. We don't have much time."

At the sound of his voice, Yuffie's eyes flickered open and widened as they focused on the towering flames barely three metres from her position. She sat up hastily and attempted to stand, falling back down to the floor with a cry of pain.

"My ankle," she moaned. "I, I think it's broken."

Cait grabbed a piece of wood from nearby and tied it crudely to her left calf using his tattered cape as a bandage. Yuffie surveyed the makeshift medical-attention and flashed him a sooty smile. "Thanks," she said gratefully. 

The expression of happiness slipped from her face however as the foreboding creaking occurred again above them, only twice as loud as it had been before. 

"We need to get out before the building collapses," Cait notified the ninja calmly in an effort to prevent her from panicking. He glanced back at the flaming wall which cornered them in the precarious room and picked out a point where the flames seemed less intense. He ran over to it and looked back at her. "You need to jump over," he said firmly. "Grit your teeth and close your eyes to fight the pain."

She looked at him in horror; to her the area seemed as dangerous as any other along the blazing barrier of wood. Her leg throbbed agonisingly and she couldn't even stand let alone leap across great distances.

"C, Cait," she stumbled fearfully. "I, I can't jump that! My leg hurts too much."

He trotted back to her and stood on his hind legs, planting his paws on her shoulders so that they looked into each other's eyes. "Yuffie, you _have_ to jump. If you don't… then who am I supposed to play tricks on Cid with, huh?"

A smile played on her lips although her eyes still reflected back the harrowing image of the fire beyond.

"And, if you don't push back that pain, who am I meant to read my cards for? Y'know how everyone else hates it when I try to tell their fortunes."

"That's because you're rubbish at it!" Yuffie laughed and a relieved expression broke out on Cait's face.

"Hurt my feelin's while I'm tryin' to console you why don't you!" he grinned and she looked back at him with a sorrowful smile. "C'mon. We need to escape otherwise the rest of them might try to do somethin' awful like settle down for good and start a family!"

Yuffie now beamed happily back at him. "Yeah," she said with an expression of mock disgust. "We can't have them goin' old on us now, can we??"

"That's my girl! Now let's get outta here."

Cait jumped back and watched carefully as Yuffie steadily pushed herself to her feet. She stood on her right, uninjured foot and testily set the toes of her left on the floor, the pain caused reflected on her visage. She limped over to the place in the flaming barrier Cait had indicated to and pulled a face.

"Are you sure it's safe?" she asked quietly and Cait looked up at her.

"Of course it's not safe!" Cait responded and Yuffie looked down at him with a puzzled expression. The cat laughed in return and assumed the posture he took when making fun of Cid. "'Nothin's been safe since we walked over that dumb bridge but are you gonna wait around here all night while we go up and get a piece of the action?!'"

Yuffie laughed brightly at Cait's mimicry of the old pilot when she, Tifa, Cid and the cat went up to the HQ to rescue Cloud and Vincent. Her fears reassured for the moment, she took a deep breath and turned back to the hurdle. She watched Cait run at the wall and appear on the other side as he seemed to meld straight through in her peripheral vision. 

Her mind firmly on the task at hand, she closed her eyes tightly and prayed to every god she could think of. Taking a deep breath, Yuffie leapt. 

The pain was unbearable, it tore up her leg and stabbed her chest like a thousand knives but she fought it back until it had subsided into a dull aching. After what seemed like an eternity, she landed on the other side; rolling when she hit the floor and clutching the broken foot to prevent jarring it.

She remained in a foetal position as if fearful to open her eyes but there was a soft nudge on her cheek and she slowly moved her head to look. Her eyes met with Cait who was looking down at her admirably.

"Nice jump," he grinned.

Her expression darkened as she prepared to tell him exactly how badly her foot hurt and how much she wanted to get out of this hell when she felt the floor beneath her quiver. Her eyes widened and she stumbled into a standing position, wincing as her foot was nudged.

"What now?" she asked her companion and he ran to the door.

"We get out of here," he responded and she limped painfully over to him lifting the Conformer from the charred floor as she passed it. 

They found themselves on the landing. The fires had spread from the kitchen and had reduced the staircase to a blazing slope. As Yuffie watched, her feet frozen in place there was a prolonged creak and wooden structure collapsed. She swallowed forcefully and looked down at Cait who sat at her feet.

"Wh, Where do we go?" she stuttered fearfully.

"We need to get to a window or somethin'," he replied as he glanced around. 

The banisters to one side of the balcony-like landing were slowly beginning to be smothered in the enchanting flames as they rose up from below like flickering ivy. As he glanced back to the room they had just exited from, it gave an almighty groan and collapsed down with an explosion of heat that blew around them and fuelled the blaze further until the heat was unbearable.

"Cait!" cried Yuffie as she started to panic, clean lines where salty tears had run clearly visible through her sooty mask.

He shook his head to dispel his moment of paralysis as he stared at the hypnotising, orange glow. For a brief moment, despite the intense heat raging from the inferno before him he felt a dreadful cold chill run up his spine as though there was something behind him. Dismissing it as nothing in order to reassure the terrified young woman, he stood and looked towards the far end of the landing.

"The next room won't be safe. Try the one along from there; it has a window out onto the alleyway."

"Y, You're coming, aren't you??" Yuffie questioned in a horrified tone and he gazed up at her.

"Of course I am, but after you. I can stand the heat more than you can-" A sudden jerk of the floor beneath them stopped him mid-sentence. "Neither of us are gonna get out of here though if we don't hurry."

Yuffie nodded firmly and strode forward ducking back whenever the flickering flames blew too close to her. Eventually she stood outside the designated doorway and shielding her eyes, she turned back to Cait.

"Come on!" she urged. "This place is gonna collapse!"

He nodded in agreement and took a step after her. However, as soon as his gloved paw made contact with the floor, there was a groaning from above him and both cat and ninja lifted their eyes to look at the ceiling. The struts that supported the landing and roof above it had been reduced to charcoal beneath their vision and the strain was starting to have its effect on the rest of the building. 

As they watched completely transfixed, a crack appeared in the plaster ceiling between the pair. It slowly widened, smaller rifts snaking out from it like lightening until the whole roof looked like little more than a broken egg-shell. They were both too horrified to act; fear glued their feet to the spot and prevented them from moving their bodies. 

A tumultuous roaring sound filled their ears and as they turned their fear filled eyes to look at one another, the ceiling dipped down and finally collapsed showering the entire landing with fire and stone. 

Yuffie leapt back just in time twisting her already broken foot awkwardly. Now not only the smoke of the inferno stung her eyes, but the plaster dust and grit made them water along with the pain.

Waving the dust away, her heart suddenly sank and she rushed back out into the upper-hall. A huge portion of it had collapsed in the middle leaving a massive blazing chasm between the entrance to her room and where she stood. Only a thin beam which had somehow remained intact joined the two otherwise separate parts of the landing. 

A pile of rubble and wood covered the far platform and as she watched, it slowly started to move. A plank was pushed away and it fell to the flames below to be consumed. More rubble and debris was delicately shoved away. Despite the mover's best effort though, the precarious, smouldering platform started to creak and sway dangerously forcing her to her knees and pulling her broken ankle painfully.

Slowly but surely, a dusty head emerged followed by the forepaws of Cait Sith. She felt her heart leap momentarily at the sighting, but as another judder tore through the building her stomach flew up to her mouth. There was a quiet coughing and Cait wiped his eyes tiredly so that he could focus on the figure who crouched barely metres from him but was as good as a thousand miles away.

"C, Cait…?" said Yuffie. 

Her voice was nothing more than a trembling whisper but somehow, the small black and white cat heard it. Even above the roar of the flames that were drawing nearer with every heartbeat… even over the ragged sound of his breath.

"…Yeah…?" 

"…Y, You can't leave me… . The others are waiting… w, we have to go… ."

Cait swallowed. "I… I can't, Yuffie… . If I move… the whole floor will cave in… ."

"I'm scared." Yuffie breathed, her voice swept along by the heat of the fire. "B, But you

said… you said you were coming with me… ."

His tiny jaw tightened in resolve which he mustered up from the very depth of his pure heart. Blinking back the tears that threatened to destroy his moment of pride as he sat amongst the swirling flames, his fur ruffling in the hot breeze he looked back at her.

"You go first," he said firmly without a hint of fear in his voice. "When you're out safely I'll jump out after you. If we both move at once then neither of us will survive."

Yuffie's brow furrowed from the agony of choice; but the authoritative and chivalrous tone in his voice somehow reassured her and overcame her fear.

"You… will be alright, won't you?" she asked quietly and for a long time only the shuddering jolts of the floor and the crackling flames were her reply.

"The stars are still there, Yuffie." he answered cryptically without a hint of sadness but she found tears streaming down her cheeks again despite his attempts to console her. "As long as they still shine, you can know that fate will guide us. To some it's kinder than other's… to some it's not. It isn't up to us. It's how we live with the hand we've been dealt that makes the difference.

"If you stay an' wait then you'll never know; you can't put off things until the future. Remember that. Live your life for the moment and have no regrets; that's the greatest thing I've learnt about being with y'all. 

"It isn't safe here… and if you don't leave now… then maybe you never will."

He bowed his head.

"I'm… . I'm just gonna wait here for a while," he said softly. "You go on ahead."

Yuffie started to tremble and she bit her bottom lip to stay calm. However, it didn't stop the tears from falling and she felt more alone and vulnerable than she had been since witnessing Aeris' death. The cold and oppressive chill that gripped her soul almost numbed her and drained her of her emotions. But as she stared back at the tiny, innocent cat she knew he was right.

"I'll… I'll see you… Cait Sith." she whispered and he flashed her one of his brightest and happiest smiles. Had it been anywhere else but there, she felt that her heart would have burst from joy.

"Yeah… ." he replied wistfully. "You will. I, I think that… I think that deep down…I might've earned that… ." 

She returned his smile through her tears and pulled herself to her feet, gripping onto the doorframe to support herself. Taking a final look at him, she slowly turned and limped into the room, struggling to keep upright against the earthquake-like rumblings that tore through the house.

As the ferocity of them increased, her pace quickened until she was almost running. With a final lurch, she lunged forward and grabbed hold of the windowsill. Pulling herself and lifting the windowpane, she looked down into the alleyway.

"Cloud! There she is, quickly!" exclaimed a female voice.

"Sephiroth, over here!"

Without even looking and the inevitable numbness of unconsciousness creeping up on her mind, Yuffie slid through the narrow gap, not even caring whether she was caught.

As soon as she landed in the arms of the two men her eyes started to close.

"C, Can we go now…?" she asked in a soft whisper.

"But what about Cait?" Tifa questioned worriedly. "He's still in there!"

"No…" breathed Yuffie finally. "H, He's… gone now… ."

Cait's eyes misted with tears and with his last strength he let out a wailing sob which wracked through his tiny body. He covered his eyes with his paws and felt the moist, clean tears soak into his fur and single glove.

__

"Why are you crying…?"

Cait's head lifted suddenly, wet eyes wide in fear.

__

"Why are you crying, Cait…?"

"I… I don't want to die," he whispered chokingly. "I'll never get to see anyone again... ."

__

"Sure you will, Cait!"

"Wh, What… what do you mean…?"

__

"You have earned what you desire… . It is not your fate to be forgotten here."

"R, Really?"

He heard a soft giggle. A noise he recognised from a long, long time ago. 

How long had it been…? 

__

Five, six years…………….?

Cait allowed a smile to bless his thin lips as he rested his head upon his folded paws.

__

She told me to be strong… . I'm so happy………………… .

*****************

"We are such stuff

As dreams are made on; and our little life

Is rounded with a sleep."

The Tempest, 4i


	14. Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 1, 'Reunions' **__**

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 14 'Contemplation and Condemnation'

Vincent sat on the lush grassy mound with his knees bent up beneath his chin. It had been barely fifteen minutes since he'd transformed and he had another forty-five before the agony returned to punctuate Hojo's final curse over his head. The form which had, in the past, brought so much agony and torture to him now held his only peace. Amongst his friends and any other people in his 'human' form he felt a hunger stronger than any fury which had driven him as Chaos. As the demon he felt more human than he had for decades. 

Decades. Such a long time. Such a long, long time. Had it _really_ been thirty-nine years since he had been human; since he had last laid eyes upon Lucrecia? The Lucrecia which had enchanted him upon his first sight of her on floor five of the HQ. Not the one which now seemed so devoid of happiness, haunting the planet like a tragic wraith.

He closed his eyes and bowed his head.

Kalm lay in the distance far behind him in contrast to his turmoil and he was well aware that there was no chance he could make it there before he changed back. He could have spent the afternoon flying there and then under the cover of darkness he would have sneaked in to drink his fill from the innocent, sleeping citizens. 

Only something had kept him to Midgar. Something had prevented him from leaving. Perhaps it was his own guilt or maybe it was his unwillingness to leave his friends after he had only just returned. 

Whatever the reason, he now sat on one of the massive mounds of green which bordered the ring of lifelessness around the once Mako-fuelled city. From where he sat he had a perfect view over the night-shrouded metropolis. With its many lit candles now substituting the blinking electric street-lamps, it seemed to shimmer and wink at him from across the brown plain. 

He let out a deep sigh and watched as the glittering flames from the great distance seemed to dim for a brief second at his breath. He shook his head; perhaps he was going mad. That was preferable over his present existence though. If insanity truly did wish to entwine its demented claws around his mind then he wasn't in the mood to fight it off.

Lucrecia had abandoned him after she had led him to his first atrocity in his cursed form. He had tried to contact her through will and thoughts for every waking second since then without avail.

Had she been so horrified by his form and behaviour she couldn't bring herself to look upon him? 

What had Hojo said…? 

__

"What would Lucrecia think of you if she could see you right now?

Do you think that she would welcome you with the same open arms that she did in the past…? 

…Or do you think that she'd run away screaming? 

Maybe she would throw herself at me as she did with you all of those years back… 

…Maybe she would thank me for punishing you for all of your sins. 

After all... you do have a lot of them... ."

Vincent shook his head to dispel the despicable voice of the mad scientist from his mind. Perhaps he had been right? 

Lucrecia had appeared before him and had disappeared minutes later. She had tried to disguise her horror well but he was good at reading the thoughts of others' from their expressions and actions. He could read Her better than anyone else on the planet and she him. He saw her disgust and she saw the demon in him. It was only natural that after seeing it personified she would leave.

Again he sighed. 

He had left his friends to face the gathering crowds who had come to put an end to his 'reign of terror over the city'. That was perfectly reasonable he reasoned inwardly. After all, he had slaughtered, what? Eight men in the space of a week? God knew what else he would have done had he remained undiscovered. Sat uselessly in the corner of the bar kitchen he would have continued to fend himself from bad dreams and mood swings. 

__

No, he mused to himself with a humourless smile. _I am much better out of Midgar so I can roam the planet and murder people in other towns and cities too._

He leant back on the grass so that he was looking up at the sky. The moon beamed down to his left and the stars twinkled overhead like silver candles; celestially mimicking the gaudy gold of the city lights.

A breeze was blowing across the side of the hill and he closed his eyes as it blew up the slope below him and then across him, ruffling his hair and tickling his pale skin as it gently passed by. If it weren't for the impending pain of his metamorphosis he would have remained there for the rest of the night and eventually woken up in the morning, fresh and ready for a hike to the nearest town with a library or centre of research. 

Thus had been his lifestyle for the past four years only more emphasis had been placed upon the reading. He had wanted little more than to be able to roam free across the world and throw his worries to the delicate breeze which flowed across him now.

As he lay there he felt something oddly cold against his neck. Feeling behind himself with his right hand, he felt his fingers brush against an object. Frowning through puzzlement, he brought it before his face and opened the clenched appendage.

His eyes met with the gleaming silver of a delicate piece of jewellery and realisation dawned upon him. It was the precious item Yuffie had bestowed upon him before he had finally made his exit from the bloodstained streets of Midgar. He still found curiosity grip his mind at her motive for placing it in his palm but the intricacies of the tiny object quickly captivated him. 

The many facetted sapphires which made up the coloured detail of the amulet sparkled like the planet's answer to the stars that twinkled above. Every scale upon the lithe body of the serpent that clutched the blue lotus in its jaws had been carved into the silver with astonishing detail. He found even his enhanced vision had slight difficulty at detecting every slight and delicate decoration on it. 

He felt marginally surprised at himself. He had kept it in the firm grip of his right hand all of the way from Midgar in his turbulent retreat. The yells and screams of his victims and tormentors had been snapping at his heels like indignant blood-hounds baying for justice (deep down he still didn't fully comprehend why he left).

He had held it for so long he had forgotten its presence. Now that it had once more been brought to his attention it transfixed him more deeply than the niggling images of his departure. The many faces of the bellowing crowd melted from his mind. The taste of blood in his mouth faded from existence. It was as though the gem was dispelling the day's hellish occurrences from his mind. He didn't feel in any mood to stop it. 

The young ninja as she pressed it into his palm had described it as 'an amulet to ward off evil spirits'. At that moment it acted as a holy torch to the wicked shadows in his mind, forcing them from view. As much as part of him revelled from the release, another part of him told him to throw it away. Cast it aside and allow him to continue his atonement.

He sat up and moved back his hand, the long thin silver chain tickling his wrist. His arm moved forward and he prepared to open the fingers, hurling the object as far from him as he could so that it would be swallowed in the dark, dark night which had consumed himself so long before. However, he stopped at the last minute and looked back down at it.

The cobalt eyes glittered back at him as though from satisfaction at his reluctance and he snorted derisively. It wouldn't harm to keep hold of it for a bit longer, would it? He parted the chain and slipped it over his raven hair, tucking it under the neck of his cape which already hid so many secrets. The minute amulet, barely the size of his thumb slipped easily down the inside of his shirt, nestling comfortably against his cold skin. It somehow felt right. Sighing with an almost contented feeling washing over him, he lay back down resuming his solemn thoughts.

He succeeded in staying like that for a long time almost falling asleep at one point. His many weeks of inactivity had wasted him away until now he felt as though he could barely wield the Death Penalty let alone walk across the continent. The afternoon's sudden burst of activity in his failed battle against Cloud had worn him severely and the transformation had left him weak and weary.

Fortunately whatever vampiric urges poisoned his blood were restrained due to the lack of life around him. Perhaps that was why he preferred to be alone? What is the use in being hungry when there is nothing to eat?

As the breeze continued to blow and he sank deeper and deeper into meditation, on the very edge of his enhanced audible range he heard a faint explosion as though someone had burst a balloon from a thousand miles away. Nonetheless, his eyes opened and he slowly sat up not feeling any great sense of urgency; more curiosity. He scanned the horizon and his eyes eventually fell upon the city again. This time there was something different though. 

The light seemed somehow brighter, more vivid. He squinted to get a better look but light was not his medium. His vision was only refined during night when he 'hunted'. Against the illuminance it was no better than it had been as a 'human'. Still, as he continued to watch with mild interest, the breeze carried the faint scent of burning to him. 

He frowned. Perhaps it was just a random fire of some kind; maybe even a celebration of sorts? No, that was as likely as the possibility that Rufus had returned just to blow up another reactor. After all, what did the population have to celebrate? Unless of course the absence of their murderous demon had sparked such high hopes… .

He scowled at himself. His mind was wandering again; he had to focus it on more important things. Like what he was going to do now, or where he was going to go.

He had been to every source of knowledge that he could use on the planet where they were likely to even mention his condition or Hojo's experiments. The University of Junon City, the Catacombs of Cosmo Canyon (when Red was coincidentally absent) and of course the Shinra Mansion library. All with neither luck nor avail. 

As he morosely pondered his fate, a sudden thought struck him. He had lied to his companions about many things he had done during his four-year disappearance, but trying to find Lucrecia had not been one of them. He had indeed visited the cave behind the waterfall where she had resided during the Meteor Crisis many times and found no trace of her divine being. He had in fact eventually presumed that she had finally returned to the planet but his conversation with Sephiroth had informed him of otherwise. Lucrecia had visited him many times as he wandered the world in search of answers. Now that he knew this for certain and now that she had actually visited him visibly in Midgar he knew for sure that she was not at peace.

He stood up and brushed down his cape to remove the blades of grass which had stuck to him. Lifting his head and tilting it West towards the Western Continent he knew his next course of action. She would be at her cave, he knew it. He was sure of it. Her visit to him for whatever reason had been an invite, asking him in unspoken words to come to her. Perhaps that was the reason for her sudden departure?

Perhaps it wasn't, but he didn't have the chance to stop and think as a terrible pain gripped his stomach as though someone had shoved a knife into his gut and were slowly twisting it. He gritted his teeth to prevent crying out. But it was futile and he fell to his knees again choking back a strained wail.

Closing his eyes tightly to avoid witnessing the catastrophic event, he let out an agonising scream and felt the wings of Chaos fold in upon him.

To Nibelheim, and to the cave. _To Her_, he thought to himself as he struggled to distance his mind from the pain. _Yes… perhaps I can find the answers I seek there. Lucrecia…? Luc, my love. I'm coming to see you. I, I'm sorry… but… but I have no other choice. Please be there… please… ._

A light knock on the door rudely awoke Reeve from his sleep and his head lifted sharply, twinging his neck painfully. He rubbed it whilst peeling off the sheet of paper that had stuck to his cheek. He had been writing out rough drafts for his speech the following evening. As was obvious by the many screwed up balls of white paper which decorated his rich red carpet like snow, he was not doing a good job. 

He glanced over the latest attempt which he had fallen asleep upon and pulling a face, he crumpled it up and threw it at the waste paper basket in the far corner of his office. It missed and rebounded off the wall, landing in the scattered soil of a potted plant which had fallen over from some of his earlier attempts. Out of fifty-six throws, none of the paper missiles had gone into the bin.

For a brief second he considered standing and picking them all up and straightening out the large, plush and very modern room. But his lethargic muscles were less eager to co-operate. He reached for his coffee mug and attempted to take a swig, knowing full well that it would be cold. However, he was disappointed to find nothing. 

Great, he thought to himself irritably. I haven't got a speech, I feel like hell and worst of all; I have no caffeine.

Muttering numerous obscenities to himself, his annoyance was furthered as the light rapping on his door was repeated.

"Come in," he sighed as he leant back in his chair massaging his temples.

The action was repeated, only louder and it hammered into his skull furthering an already irritating headache.

"I SAID COME IN!!" he yelled in fury, an emotion which rarely came over the executive.

The door of his office was opened after a few seconds delay and a blonde head peered around tentatively.

"I, I'm sorry, Sir," said Elena making sure to keep the most of her body behind the door in fear of a stray book or object thrown in her direction. "I can come back later if you prefer. Only I have some important information that you may be interested in… ."

"I'm sorry," Reeve apologised quietly, muttering more to himself than the female Turk. "I've just been a bit high-strung recently, what with Sector Two, Vincent going berserk," he looked up after seeming to realise that it appeared as though he were talking to himself. "Please, come in."

He indicated to a chair which stood opposite him on the other side of the large desk. She walked in with feminine grace which he knew had captivated many-a-man but he also noted the pistol which interrupted the line of her uncreased, navy-blue jacket. He couldn't help but suppress a smile at the contradictory nature of the woman. 

When she had first joined the Turks, they had often spoken although he knew well that her loyalties were with the Shinra. If she had found out that he was actually sided with AVALANCHE he didn't doubt that she would be among the first to turn him yet. Despite that, they had always had an understanding friendship and he suspected that she was the main reason the Turks had become his personal guard.

"I'd prefer to stand," she said softly then adding "No disrespect, Sir."

He shook his head. "None taken. I thought I'd asked you not to call me 'sir' anyway."

"Yeah," she responded scratching the back of her head thoughtfully and perhaps, he thought, with a touch of embarrassment. "But it is procedure and everything."

He smiled and stroked his goatee with a silent laugh. "Right, right," he returned. "Whatever makes you happy." His tone became serious though as he noted the forced, sad smile he received from his companion. A frown furrowed his brow. "So what is it that you wanted to tell me?" he questioned as casually as he could.

"Perhaps I will sit down," she said quietly and his expression of puzzlement was furthered. Her soft brown eyes raised and looked into his deeper brown ones. "It's, ah, it's about Sector Six," she stopped and glanced out of the window behind him as though she could see what she was describing. "There's been an incident. Reports of a mob and arson at Tifa's Seventh Heaven."

Reeve stopped breathing in horror as he leant forward in his chair. Finding his voice again, he attempted to regain his composure, but his eyes remained wide. "D, Did the others… ? A, Are they… alright?" he asked uncertainly and Elena studiously avoided eye contact with him.

"We don't know as of yet," she responded in the same hushed tone. "Right now Reno and Rude are out taking a look around. From what they've told me over the phone it started off as a mindless attack, begun by the conflict earlier yesterday afternoon. It seems as though local people originally started the blaze but the crowds have increased until now there are about two hundred people milling around. 

"Things have started to get out of hand, and I'm not just talking about the mobs. The fire quickly spread from the bar and has now destroyed about forty-five percent of the buildings along that area of the sector from the most recent estimates. A few casualties have been reported but there's been no sign of any members of AVALANCHE or even Sephiroth. I don't mean to sound rude, but that bunch are not the kind of people you'd walk past in a street and forget about in a hurry."

"So there have been no confirmed sightings?"

Elena hesitated. "Not… not yet. But rest assured, if indeed they have survived, they're not about to leap out in front of the mobs and make their presence known. They're not stupid; they're sure to have found a way out and away from the trouble."

"Just as long as they didn't fight back," Reeve mumbled. "Otherwise there would have been no way to keep them safe. They're in enough trouble as it is without fighting themselves. A demon is one thing, but for the leader of AVALANCHE to start decapitating civilians over a minor revolution won't look good in the papers-"

"Sir…"

"They've probably gone to another sector. The violence seems to be restricted to Six. I hope they had the intelligence to keep to alleyways. I wonder if Cait is bringing them back to the Offices as I speak-"

"Sir!" Elena interrupted loudly and Reeve stopped to look at her. "Sir," she began once more in a softer tone. "As likely as it is that they will have found a way out, it's also a possibility that they haven't been so lucky."

Reeve stared back at her emotionlessly with a look on his face she had never seen before. It eventually faded away however to reveal his usual, tired visage. His dark-brown hair which was normally so neatly gelled back off his face now sat dishevelled with a few large bangs hanging down over his face. The exhaustion in his eyes was emphasised by dark smudges beneath them and his cheeks seemed somehow sunken. His overall appearance was the personification of stress and weariness.

"Maybe you should get some sleep," she suggested kindly. "I'll wake you up as soon as we get any news off Reno and Rude. Turk's honour," she ended with a hint of a smile.

He shook his head. "No, it's all right. Just get my secretary to make me a pot of coffee, will you?"

"There are no more staff in the building apart from us two," she reported, the slight smile on her face broadening marginally. Reeve was infamous to everyone he knew for his late nights and poor time-keeping skills. The Midgar Office's weren't like a second home to him: they were his home. 

He started to stand but she stood with him and shook her head. "I'll get that pot. Try and write your speech; but with all this coffee you're taking in, try and keep it calm, huh? I'm not sure that the population of Midgar will be wanting to hear about the 'wacky world of Reeve Jameson on a caffeine high'."

He laughed and nodded. "It's a deal," he grinned and she left the room with a curt nod.


	15. Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 1, 'Reunions' **__**

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 15 'Escape from Reality'

"Cloud. Psst, Cloud," came the piercing whisper which cut through the sharp night air like a knife.

It emanated from the pitch-black shadow of the vast wall which stretched from the old HQ to the outer wall of the city. The tall, thick and partially rusting structure separated the chaotic hell of Sector Six and the oddly calm Sector Seven with solid efficiency. A fact which Tifa was grudgingly discovering.

Cloud's head lifted at the sound of his name. He stood in the shadows of one of the houses near to the impenetrable edifice. Sephiroth stood near to him, his narrowed aqua eyes gleaming like those of a cat's from the darkness near to him. Yuffie sat between the two men feeling weak and understandably shaken up after her narrow escape from the bar.

She had momentarily regained consciousness after falling into the arms of the two men and was horrified to watch the entire building collapse in on itself. The noise was tumultuous. Cloud had been grimly thankful for the roaring of the flames; they covered the wails of the grief-stricken girl as in a moment of madness she tried to run back in to rescue the cat who had been undoubtedly consumed by the inferno. 

Deep in his heart he felt as though someone had shredded him to pieces, but fear for himself and those around him prevented him from taking the same action. Now, the young girl sat with her knees under her chin, rocking back and forth with subdued weeping. He had tried to comfort her, but she was too deeply in shock to comprehend what he was saying. 

Every one of them knew that they had to find some shelter or something to stay in. Although for one of the first times that month it was not snowing, it was bitterly cold and having awoken so rudely from their sleep they had not had enough chance to change. Yuffie huddled into the large, old black shirt leant to her by Vincent as nightwear. Although she gave no visible signs of distress at the sudden contrast in temperature, when Cloud had carried her earlier, her body had felt like a block of ice. 

He himself wore only a long nightshirt with boxers whilst Sephiroth who stood nearby was clothed in only his black trousers, his torso exposed to the freezing temperatures. Tifa was sneaking around in the shadows a few metres away, on the other side of the street in a silken night-gown which barely reached her knees. Although amusing at first, the whole situation was rapidly becoming dire.

Cid had to gain the most pity though. He had not thought to grab any footwear as the others had and now was creeping around further down the wall from Tifa in a pair of boxers and his bomber jacket. Although Cloud cringed with every loud sound, the faint noise of the pilot cursing with every icy step prevented him from remaining overly serious.

"What?" he called in the same hushed tone to answer Tifa's hail. "Have you found something?"

"Cid thinks that he's discovered a climbable part of the wall further down," she answered in a whisper. "It's quite close to the gate though, and he says that he can see a few people walking around."

Cloud frowned and gave a helpless sigh. "We haven't got another choice," he told his two companions.

He looked back over to Tifa who was now standing half in and half out of the light cast down by a window in the building above them. He marvelled momentarily how beautiful she looked but quickly pushed it back down in his mind. She was faintly discernible by a glint of silvery light which reflected off the buckles of the Premium Heart strapped to her right fist. If there was one thing he could be thankful for, it was the fact that they had all managed to retrieve their weapons. 

"We're coming over," he called softly and she nodded, stepping back into the darkness.

Sephiroth glanced up and down the narrow street they occupied and nimbly ran over, his silver hair flowing out behind him, the same colour of the Masamune as it caught the light of the house.

Holding his breath and not releasing it until the general was in the shadows, Cloud helped the less than eager Yuffie to stand. "C'mon," he urged gently. "It's your turn."

She, unlike Sephiroth didn't bother to glance around to ensure her safety and simply limped lightly across, Cloud following closely behind. He understood her deep sense of remorse at Cait's 'death', but part of him couldn't help but wish that she held back her mourning for another time. The situation was too dangerous and too dire to give up the luxury of time on lamentation. Nonetheless, he held back his cold words of authority and attempted to look out for the both of them.

Once all three were in the camouflaging darkness, hidden by the night like terrible secrets, Tifa motioned with her hand for them to follow.

They walked for what appeared to be hours, Cloud's eyes darting suspiciously over every dark alley expecting an ambush at any second. They heard the persistent cries of people from near the bar and the faint, orange glow of fires hazed the sky immediately above them. The plan of the mobs had obviously backfired. The all-consuming flames had spread out in their greed and were persisting to impartially destroy the buildings in the sector, uncaring as to their status or importance. 

The side of Cloud which prevented him from reprimanding Yuffie for her carelessness and inability to restrain her misery also twinged with every scream drifting across the air and attacking his heart. AVALANCHE had, in their own indirect way, been responsible for the horrific blaze. Surely it was their responsibility to go and help to some extent?

No, maybe it was just his overactive conscience. His guilt was having a field day already without the grim provocation of others' suffering.

The line slowed to a halt at Tifa's hand signal. Cloud snapped from his thoughts and looked up at the wall where they had ceased their subdued trek in the shadows. It did indeed seem climbable; regrettably the only place of its kind along the stretch of metal. It was closer to the Six/Seven gate than he had dared to imagine and there were more than a few citizens moving around hurriedly in groups.

He prayed internally that they were all too concerned with the gruesome events further up the main street to consider watching out for their possible escape. Then again, revenge runs through the blood thicker than rationality. It was even a possibility that the cries further back were not as a result of the flames; more of the discovery of their escape. Surely though such a catastrophic event would be powerful enough to melt back any thoughts of malice over the instinct of survival?

Cloud hoped so.

"Cid's already climbed over," Tifa hissed to the small group to shatter their unsettling silence.

Cloud said nothing; only nodded coldly and moved to the barrier himself. Chicken wire had been strung up on the side like a trellis for the plants that grew along the shady alleyway during spring and summer. Only the brown corpses of those green tendrils existed now though, and as he put a hand over one of the leaves, it crunched and disintegrated in his palm. The freezing weather had also played a large part in the delicacy of the lifeless remains making them as fragile as snowflakes to the touch.

He put a foot in the most likely foothold and put his weight upon it testily. The oddly resilient metal netting took the pressure easily. He put his whole body on it as he started to climb and stopped barely a metre up. He looked back down at his anxious spectators. 

"The quicker we get out of here, the sooner we'll be safe," he stated with a degree of obviousness. "As soon as I reach the top, the next person start climbing."

"I'll stay until the end," Sephiroth announced and Cloud nodded.

With that, he started to climb steadily up the trellis, wincing as the thin metal sliced into his

fingers and the skin of his hands. He felt thankful for his thick walking boots and wondered what kind of bloody state Cid was in as he finally set foot in the Seven Gardens. 

__

I'm getting carried away again, he thought to himself irritably. Thrusting his idle thoughts to the back of his mind, he set his attention upon the mechanical action of reaching for the next handhold and pulling himself up. Then reaching for the next and edging up that little bit further. 

Soon he was at the top of the tall structure. He looked back down at the cobble alley below and felt his vision swim momentarily in a bout of vertigo. He had been allowed too little sleep and felt too exhausted after the day's exertions to feel totally confident about the state of his body. He balled his fists, his fingers still entwined in the metal of the criss-crossed trellis and focused his eyes on the doll-like figures below.

They seemed to notice his observance and he felt the metal wiring tremble in his hands as the next person climbed. There had been soft murmurs as he made his own ascent and as he continued to stare down the metallic cliff, Yuffie's reluctant shape became gradually obvious. Her climb was agonisingly slow, the broken ankle obviously tender and painful to the touch. He had to admire the way that she noiselessly moved with them, keeping up and not complaining despite the natural discomfort. He knew that had they been in the same situation barely five or six years ago, they wouldn't have been able to shut her up. The silence was more disconcerting.

Continuing to stare for only a few seconds more, he eventually dared a quick glance over the sector so that his wondering was satiated but his morbid curiosity was not. Staring down at what his hands were doing, he turned around and started to back down the opposing side of the wall. Again, he let his body take over whilst his mind went on auto-run. 

As before, it went by quickly and it wasn't long before the somehow chilling orange light of the fires fell from his face and metal netting was replaced by crispy grass. 

He turned. "Cid?" he whispered into the darkness. "Where are you?"

He heard the muffled crunching of the grass and looked to his right in time to see Cid walking like an apprehensive cat on a hot tin roof towards him. Cloud unsuccessfully suppressed a smile, but in the dark and embracing shadows it was lost.

"Sh, Shit! F, Fuck!" Cid cried in a voice that was of such a high pitch Cloud felt they didn't have to worry about their discovery unless the patrolling city-people had dogs with them. "This is f, fucking freezing!" the pilot squeaked with every step. "I think I'm g, gonna… h, have to amputate my f, fucking feet when we get outta here!! Even th, the chicken w, wire was better than this! It's like w, walking on c, cold, broken g, g, glass! Oh J, Jesus, my feet! My f, feet!"

There was a soft crunch from behind him and Cloud welcomed the diversion of his attention in the fear he was about to burst into hysterics. Yuffie brushed off her shivering legs and clasped the elbows of her opposite arms in her hands across her chest.

"Wh, Wh, What… D, Do we d, do… N, Now?" she shivered painstakingly. 

Cloud hugged her and rubbed her back vigorously. She seemed to relax in his grip and he felt her body warm under his touch.

"Y, You didn't.. d, do that with me!" Cid exclaimed stutteringly and again Cloud almost collapsed into a fit of helpless giggles.

There was a long moment of silence as they waited in a huddled group for the final two members. Eventually Tifa and Sephiroth lowered themselves down the wall. Cloud bore a grudging admiration for the silver-haired man's ability to move around so well in the climate._ It's all that SOLDIER training_ he reason inwardly _I m, must be more out of shape… th, than I th, thought._

Out of the light and hesitant warmth shone out by the blazes back in Sector Six it seemed so much colder in winter's shadow. Each of them knew although no words were spoken that if they didn't start moving soon then it would be over before it began. 

"Th, The river," Tifa stumbled suddenly and they looked unanimously at her. "We can shelter in th, that pipe where the r, river flows from. Wh, Where we came out of wh, when we left the HQ."

Cloud's eyes widened in realisation. "O, Of course," he forced out. "W, We haven't got m, much time. We'd… b, better make a move."

Not even bothering to speak, they formed a line and began to trudge across the sharp green ground, keeping their forms in the shadows and cutting across the light whenever necessary. Although without footwear, Cid seemed to cope well with the situation. Cloud reasoned that his constant and explosively-violent curses help to relieve the pain and pressure which built up with every agonising step.

They walked past trees which stretched up like skeletal hands to the dull skies above. Devoid of leaves or life, with such a cold winter they wondered whether Spring would ever come at all that year. When the constant crunch of the icy grass stopped, it was replaced by the soft thuds of their boots and feet as they ran on tiptoes across the broken tarmac which ringed the base of the shattered HQ.

Tifa felt a shiver run up her spine as she looked up at the corpse of the pillar. It wasn't from the cold. Then, more than ever, she felt the presence of the fictional ghosts and angry ghouls which were said to haunt the once populated monument. She pondered whether it was due to the furious wraith of Hojo as he swirled around the opened rooms looking for revenge on his slayers. She fancied that she could even feel his slitted, almost black eyes boring into her soul. 

Her head snapped up as there was a scream from above.

"Just a piece of scrap blowing in the wind," Cloud consoled her as he noticed the reaction it had upon her body. He lifted an arm and pointed out the offending object. 

It was a sheet of metal which had peeled away from the skin of the building and now hung by a thin twisted link that allowed it to blow in the chilly breeze. She nodded in recognition but still felt a twinge of suspicion as she stared accusingly at it. Another 'scream' rang out as another, lighter wind blew through the lifeless gap. The small and more drawn-out noise it made reminded her of a laugh. She considered sticking her tongue out at it but quickly realised the childishness of such an action. 

"It's just the cold," she murmured to herself like a mantra. "Can't let it get to me."

The sound of the laughing metal faded from behind them and was soon replaced by the faint burbling of a distant river.

"W, we're almost there," Cloud shivered in order to make some noise. He felt better for the mere action of moving and almost regretted that their journey was coming to an end. He feared that their escape and entire act of resistance against the angry masses would all prove worthless as they slowly froze to death in a supposed 'refuge'. 

He could almost imagine the look of ironic contempt at the whole situation Vincent would wear over his glacial mask if he were present. _But he's not. He's long gone; probably had the best idea if you ask me_ he sighed internally

"I can s, see the r, river," Sephiroth shivered as he pointed to a sliver of silver against the black floor.

Trudging forward, they didn't notice the two pairs of eyes which had been following them closely from the partition wall as they made their agonising trek to respite. One of the men turned to the other and nudged him in the ribs.

"That's them," he murmured with noticeable spite.

His companion nodded and together they leapt from the dead bushes slightly ahead of the fleeing group. Cloud looked up and his breath caught in his throat at the silhouettes of the imposing figures. The others reacted behind him by stopping suddenly. Their numb fingers clutched at their weapons in an act so pathetic Tifa was certain she heard a snort coming from one of the couple.

"Don't make me laugh," came the taunt that lacked any sense of joviality.

Cloud narrowed his eyes and stared with piercing cobalt irises towards the source of speech. It was a voice that sounded coldly familiar. To break his moment of thought however, there was a shrill whining which raised higher and higher in pitch until it was no longer audible. With it came a soft blue light that gradually spread out from one of the men until it faintly illuminated the surrounding area.

Sea-green eyes observed the motley crew with disdain and obvious hatred. The figure behind whose eyes were hidden behind black shades jerked his arm forward and threw several blankets to the ground before Cloud.

"Wrap them around yourselves," Reno ordered icily. "Don't ask me why, but Reeve seems to want us to keep you alive. You don't deserve it."

Cloud said nothing but shot a dark glare towards the fiery Turk and bent down. He picked up the white, fleecy sheets and passed them back to the others behind him. There was one spare. Cloud threw it back to Reno who caught it clumsily having not expected the move. "We don't need this one," he said in a voice so devoid of emotion that even Sephiroth was surprised.

Reno frowned and Rude looked over AVALANCHE and Sephiroth with purposeful movements. "The cat isn't here," he reported eventually

Reno's eyes widened slightly. "That robot thing? Shit… Reeve's gonna be heartbroken. Poor guy." He looked up at Cloud, any trace of sympathy gone from his face. "Where is it?"

"_Cait Sith_," Cloud began placing extra emphasis on their friend's name. "Sacrificed himself so that we could get out of the house. He died in the blaze."

A look of misplaced remorse flashed across the Turks' faces but it was gone quickly. Reno and Rude turned without another word and started to walk back into the bushes. The remaining group glanced around at each other for a few seconds.

"I believe we're meant to follow them," Sephiroth announced with barely a tremor in his voice as he huddled into the warm blanket.

"Yeah?" started Cid. "Well I b, believe that if we don't get movin' soon, my damned feet are gonna fall off. And I believe, th, that Reno is gonna get my spear up his ass if h, he doesn't start changin' his a, attitude."

Cloud nodded grimly from his side but said nothing in return and started to move after the two Turks. The others followed behind him like a funeral procession through the corpses of undergrowth. The harsh sound of their chattering teeth which had rattled in their skulls had subsided leaving only the empty crunches of the dead flora. Even Cid bit back the curses which threatened to burst forth every time he trod on a sharp stick or jagged pebble.

Cloud no longer paid any attention to his friends however. He had placed his arm across Tifa's shoulders, and even now she was huddled against him. But it was an empty gesture. His mind was so absorbed in his thoughts that his heart was elsewhere. Sensing his coldness, Tifa said nothing and felt simply pleased for the extra warmth and human touch.

Sephiroth marched at the back of the line, one hand constantly upon the hilt of the Masamune and the other clutching the blanket which covered his chest and back. Yuffie limped a few steps ahead of him, her posture plodding and utterly unfeeling for the world around her. An unfamiliar twinge of sorrow and a desire to help deep inside his soul took Sephiroth by surprise although he didn't act on them. Not only would it be inappropriate as they fled for freedom, he honestly didn't think that he would _know_ how to console the mourning young woman. 

He turned his head away and instead looked back towards the river which they now walked parallel to. If he didn't see her plight, then maybe he wouldn't feel so useless about it, he reasoned numbly without much belief in his own words. He pondered seriously trying to recall when he had last felt so alone. 

Here he was with a group of people who had pushed away their prejudice and hatred to care for him. Here he was without the voice of Jenova claiming to be a part of him, her cadaver smashed and broken somewhere in another world. He was free, but in that he was isolated. 

When the demon, Vincent had been present at least then it had not been so bad. When he _was_ awake, the link between them as a result of their shared Jenova cells had given him the feeling that he was not alone in his suffering and nightmares. As the day had drawn on, that Jenova bond had become weaker and weaker until now it had faded. He was well aware that Cloud had once harboured many Jenova cells but they had gone, put into himself in order so that he might once more be alive. But as a result, there were no voices; no mutual words exchanged without the need for a sound.

He suspected greatly that the only reason he was walking through a dead jungle and out onto the icy grass of the Seven Gardens with half of AVALANCHE was because he had done them a favour. 

__

An eye for an eye he unconsciously recalled. 

He had saved their lives and because of that they felt obliged to look after him as though he were a grudging burden that had been thrust upon them against their will. 

It was, of course, against their will. He couldn't even imagine that they would _want _any of this to happen. After all, they had lost one of their nearest and dearest and gained their infamous nemesis as an ally. Even _he_ felt confused and uncertain.

For a brief second he realised that his strength had almost returned and that it would be easy for him to break off from the group and try to make it on his own. Naturally he dismissed the thought quickly. As simple as it would have been to carry it out, there would have been repercussions. Besides, there was something, a feeling that told him on an instinctual level he was to stay a member of their team. Perhaps it was this mysterious 'destiny' that had become the very fuel for his existence?

He snorted contemptuously. _I'm no philosopher and I make no claims to be. I'll follow this feeling until it reaches an end. When it does I know I can hold my sword high and feel glad to have lived again. Until then though, I shall walk the path laid down no matter how many twists and turns lay along its route. _

As his morose thoughts came to an end, they broke free of the oddly suffocating maze of lifelessness and onto the massive and elegant lawn. The shadows of the two Turks could be seen well ahead, their heads bowed down

"Yes. No matter how many twists and turns," Sephiroth muttered under his breath as he followed the people before him onto the silver expanse.


	16. Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 1, 'Reunions' **__**

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 16 '"We hear their heartbeat..."'

Those who had seen the famous 'Midgar Offices' which had taken over from the Shinra HQ in the day-to-day running of the city, couldn't help but be amazed. It was true that they didn't reach up over 200 metres above the horizon like mans' threat to the gods. Nor did it display the most modern and efficient hi-tech systems and gadgets. No, the Midgar Offices were overwhelming in their old fashioned beauty in the heart of a thriving city. Their simplicity and elementary technological style gave them an approachable whilst unapproachable aura.

Cid couldn't recall ever seeing it before. He was certain he would have remembered. Now he stood on the deserted main street of Sector Three before the enormous flight of stairs which lead up to the building. There were possibly a hundred tiny marble steps acting as an altar for the prize at the top. 

The Offices themselves were contained in a building which was the total opposite to the HQ which had run with an iron, computerised fist. The outside itself was marbled like the steps before it with massive, elegant columns keeping up an ornate roof. The building was spread out across a large area of land rather than being built up and up. Because of this, it was only six stories high compared to the seventy which had been expected of it before. Ivy grew up the outside in well-trimmed and cultivated patterns; spiralling around windows and doorframes, outlining where the white marble ended. 

If the Shinra HQ had been an accusing threat to the Powers That Be, the new Midgar Offices were a shrine.

Only he stopped and stared in wonder at the massive 'temple'. The rest who had seen it before were marginally less impressed, and although they paused and looked in breath-taking wonder at the place, quickly hurried on. He knew that neither Yuffie nor Sephiroth had laid eyes upon it before, but Yuffie's lamentation and Sephiroth's general coldness prevented them from staring for too long (not that he cared about the murdering warrior anyway). Realising that in the time he had taken to stop and observe every minute detail and every delicate awning, they had already made it up the set of stairs, he awoke from his trance and sprinted up after them. 

Despite the imposingly heavenly surroundings, he somehow felt embraced as they walked through the massive double doors into the main hall. He predicted that the building's defence didn't come in the form of modern card systems or guards with laser guns. You _knew_ if you were welcome or not, and at that moment in time, Cid felt as though he was right at home.

"Hey!" called a voice. It was not a pleasant hail by any means and Cid's dreamy thoughts were jolted out of existence at the harsh sound. "Are you gonna stand around all morning or do I have to _make_ you move?"

Cid looked up angrily and saw Reno standing with Rude beside a pair of elevators. He muttered to himself irritably and followed after the others as they walked over to the two Turks noiselessly. Thick, soft red carpet sprang beneath his feet and Cid knew he should really be thankful for the luxurious ground. Unfortunately, treading across mile upon mile of frosty earth had numbed his feet so badly, he was no longer sure that they were even there unless he looked directly at them.

With a light 'ping!' the elevator doors opened with a soft hiss and the Turks walked in. At the same time, the doors adjacent opened also. With an unspoken decision which was unanimous, AVALANCHE and Sephiroth walked away from the Turk's shaft and stepped into the other. Both of the lifts went up and after less than a minute opened out onto a new floor they predicted was at the top of the building. 

"This way."

Still playing their morbid game of 'follow the leader' (Cid thought that 'Following the back-stabbing, murderous Turk' was a more appropriate title) they made their way through mazes of plush hallways and corridors until they finally came to an end. There was a large waiting room with two doorways opposite them and spongy, rich seating ringing the room. A secretary's desk stood to one side of a massive window that was almost the size of a wall. It was covered with slitted blinds that were closed allowing diagonal shafts of early morning dawn to filter through.

Cloud knew that if he took the time to look through the gaps he would be able to witness the first signs of the city awakening to the hell which had taken place in Sector Six whilst they slept safely in their homes. He wondered if the blaze had even been put out yet. 

Reno led them across the vast room to the left-hand door which had 'Vice Mayor Reeve R. Jameson' embossed onto a brass plate screwed into it. The twin entrance adjacent to it had a similar brass sign only with 'Mayor Bret Redford' upon it and slightly more detailed carvings on the wood.

Reno knocked twice, waited for a sign and then pushed open the large door. The small group entered and their eyes were immediately drawn to a large desk at the head of the room which stood before yet another large window. The room itself seemed to be taken from the old Shinra HQ. It was a contrast to the overly ornate styling of the rest of the building with filing cabinets pressed up against the walls, black leather seating as opposed to red velvet couches. The only thing which had remained a constant was the thick, crimson carpet.

Cloud's head lifted at movement behind the desk. The high-backed, black leather chair swivelled around and Reeve leapt up. He ran from behind the desk and to Cloud's initial surprise ran over and embraced him. 

"I thought you'd all died!" he exclaimed tearfully. "I heard reports from the journalists and mobs in the area that said the bar had been burnt to the ground." 

He stopped as though realising how overly emotional he was being and took a few steps back to look at the group. He had a weary, but grateful smile on his face at the sight of his old friends. However it darkened as his searching eyes frantically attempted to locate something without avail.

"Cait…" he murmured softly. His eyes widened and tears began to brim. "C, Cait?? Where is he??"

Tifa walked forward and Cloud didn't attempt to stop her. When it came to things like this, he inwardly wished that he wasn't even in the same room. The young woman moved over and gently held Reeve without the same vigour as he had shown with Cloud when they had first met. Reeve held her back and buried his face in her hair. She stroked his back.

"Shh… shh… ." She soothed gently as he wept quietly. "It's alright… . There was no way we could save him. He sacrificed himself for Yuffie. He wouldn't have wanted it to be any other way… . "

"He gave himself away?" Reeve asked quietly and Tifa nodded.

"You should be… so _proud_ of him, Reeve." Tifa said and she felt her own cheeks wet with tears as she recalled her last view of the AVALANCHE member as he sat outside Yuffie's room, flames swirling around him. His little cape fluttering behind his back and that ever cheerful smile on his cattish features. Although she too now cried, a smile clung to her lips at the single memory. "He was so brave… _so_ brave. I almost think that he knew something that we didn't… . But you should be so, so proud of him…" her voice died out in a whisper and she felt Reeve sigh in her arms.

They broke away from each other and Reeve hastily wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. He was not wearing his dark blue suit jacket, only his trousers and crumpled shirt which had the sleeves rolled messily up. Just by looking at him, it was more than obvious he had been living a nightmare. The Vice Mayor normally cared a lot for his appearance but now seemed to be in a worse state than they had seen him after his week's capture at the hands of Rufus.

He wiped his forehead with a handkerchief he pulled from a pocket and leant on the desk, looking out of the window over his chair. "It couldn't be helped, I suppose," he said softly. "You all meant the world to him. He couldn't have chosen a better way to-" he stopped and choked as though saying the word 'die' would inflict physical pain. Even the thought of it made him flinch. "He couldn't have chosen a better way to show how much he cared," he ended softly. 

There was a long period of awkward silence before he finally stood up and turned back to them. "As long as you all got away safely." He stopped and glanced over the ensemble. "It looks like you could all do with some new clothes and somewhere to stay. There are bedrooms in the Offices for travelling executives. If I put you away in some of the less used ones, people needn't even know you are here. I'll get one of the medical staff to check you all over."

"That won't be necessary," Cloud responded. "Sephiroth and I know basic first aid from our training. Yuffie's the only one who was injured so it shouldn't be a problem." He looked at his friends. "The only things we need are rest and something to eat."

"What are you intending to do with yourselves?" Reeve asked. "It wouldn't be the most intelligent thing in the world to alert any of the public of your presence."

"Can you sneak us out or something'?" Cid questioned as he slumped down onto one of the leather chairs and started to rub some feeling into his feet. "I can take you all back to Rocket Town. The Highwind is there so we'll have to travel on foot and by boat but at least we'll be safe."

Cloud thought for a while. "We certainly can't stay here but we can't just crawl away and hide in some corner of the Planet. We still have a mission, remember?"

"The Vigilante." Sephiroth said grimly and for the first time, Reeve looked up and seemed to notice the silver-haired warrior.

"Bloody hell…" he choked. "S, Sephiroth…??"

Sephiroth said nothing and seemed more than a little embarrassed by the unwanted attention. Sensing the sudden uncomfortable atmosphere, Tifa glanced between the two men. 

"It's alright Reeve," she said eventually. "You know what happened in the Reactor. He's on our side now."

"Ye, yes… I don't doubt that. It just came as a bit of a surprise, that's all." The executive stumbled and Cid knew that if this were in any other situation he'd be on the floor laughing so hard his sides would feel like splitting. 

But this was no joke. This was no moment for laughing although if Cait had been there, he probably would have thought differently. At that minor thought, Cid found a smile playing on his lips despite his best efforts. It looked like Cait could still fulfil his aim in life even though he wasn't there. A smile on every unhappy face was all he wanted. Was it too much to deny him that?

The slight smile turned into a grin and he shook his head. The entire situation was so dire he felt like just collapsing into hysterics for no reason at all. _It's about time I went insane;_ he mused with a tinge of humour. _The easy way out, huh?_

"But Sephiroth's right," Cloud continued, ignoring the maniacal expression which appeared unprompted on Cid's weary face. "Whatever this Vigilante is, it's not friendly. Everything which has happened before now… something deep inside is telling me that it's all connected somehow… . " 

Cloud's voice died out as he seemed to think, but before he could open his mouth to proceed, Reno stepped forward.

"I know that you're all fucking screwed in the head, but for God's sake," he exclaimed in disgust. "Don't _seriously_ tell me that all the shit that's been going on has got something to do with some weird dream that your new best friend here had??"

He jerked his head towards Sephiroth but didn't so much as glance at the ex-General. Cloud's face darkened in response but he bit back his retorts and a warning glare at Cid warned the pilot to do likewise.

"Reno, you weren't even on our side during the Meteor Crisis. You have no idea what kind of eerie crap we had to put up with. Sure a dream may seem a stupid thing to base a quest onto you. But when two people share the same experiences and slip into comas for two days, then wake up with injuries which can't be explained, I think questions need answering."

"How do you know he didn't just hurt himself when you all left the room??" Reno yelled back, his fury fuelled by an anger which burned deep inside. "You haven't got a clue have you?? This mad bastard shows up after trying to destroy the planet and you welcome him with open arms. Then you go and jump at the first fucked up story he makes up and turn it into a holy crusade! If you ask me, you're all so depressed at settling down and starting normal lives, that the first chance to get out of here made you desperate." He stopped and stared maliciously at the room's occupants. "Even if it means that a few innocent people get sacrificed along the way."

"Reno that's enough!!" roared a furious voice and the entire planet seemed to fall deathly silent at the exclamation. 

Slowly, their heads turned to Reeve, the unlikely source of the rage. His face was blotched an ugly red, and with his unkempt appearance and scruffy hair hanging over his eyes, he truly looked like a man possessed. 

"I have… had enough of fighting. Enough of arguments; and I've had enough of everyone screaming and shouting at each other like five year olds!!" His voice began calm in an unsettling way, but it rose with every syllable until he was screaming at the end. "I have been up all night trying to write a damned speech which will keep the population of Midgar off our backs for the time being. None of us are safe because of our involvement in all of the catastrophes which have been going on. No one must know that AVALANCHE escaped the fire just as no one must know that the Turks were present at both the Reactor bombing and the HQ incident. Witnesses saw AVALANCHE at both with three unidentified strangers. Let's keep them unidentified shall we?"

Reno opened his mouth, but Reeve held up a firm hand and the fiery Turk shut it quickly.

"Because of that, we all have to look after each other and keep everything swept under the political carpet. In other words; AVALANCHE stay hidden and Turks, stay silent. You are all to lay low for now, that means putting up with each other. No arguments, no petty disputes no matter what has happened in the past. The past is the past no matter what anyone says, and as painful as it may be we have to put it behind us."

Although he made no direct mention, it was obvious to all in the room that the executive was consciously thinking of his creation, Cait Sith as he spoke his final words.

"For the time being, you will all be residents of the Offices until we can find away to sort this out. Rude, you will escort AVALANCHE and Sephiroth to the less used rooms. Make sure that you put up a sign of some sort to keep people away. 

"Reno, find Elena and ask her where the hell my coffee is."

He marched around behind his desk and sat down on the chair, immediately turning it to face the window. It was more than obvious he was not eager to continue the conversation, although it had in truth been more of a monologue. With the quietness of school children who had been reprimanded and dismissed from a teacher's presence, they shuffled from the office and out into the waiting room. 

Reno gave a final angry glance at the group and stormed away and through a dark corridor Cloud had not noticed on his entry to the vast chamber. Rude gave a subtle motion of his hand before leading AVALANCHE away from the closed door of Reeve's office and to their new residence until their dire situation changed. 

They were taken hastily through corridors and rooms which all seemed exactly the same as the last. It was as though they were simply being moved through the same stretches of carpet over and over again to emphasise and exaggerate the enormity of the building. They would have believed that if it weren't for the occasional plant that happened to be in a slightly different place than its predecessor in a previous room. Or even the steadily increasing numbers on the doors in the corridors. Cloud felt, in his weariness, that he was a hamster in a treadmill; travelling forever but always seeing the same scenery.

They eventually stopped. Rude stood to one side and pointed towards a line of four doors shrouded in shadow. Yuffie found a chill creep up her spine as she was reminded vividly of Vincent's room in his old apartment. 

"You'll stay here for the time being," Rude announced. 

Tifa noticed immediately that he lacked much of the anger or hatred that Reno had in his voice as he spoke to them. She even fancied that maybe there was a hint of sorrow in his quiet words as though he was apologising for his fiery friend's behaviour. 

No, he was a Turk. An apology was far too much to ask… wasn't it?

"Elena or I will come and check up on you throughout the day in case you need anything. The rooms are all en-suite so there's water if you get thirsty. Food and medical equipment will be brought along shortly. Until then, and during the day you have to remain completely silent. If people even _suspect_ that you are staying here, all hell will break loose," he finished. 

Although the speech had been long for the stoic Turk, his manner and sentences had been clipped and unemotional as though he was simply repeating something he had been saying all his life. A phrase which had lost all meaning and sense but had remained as something which was nonetheless important.

To their tired ears however it was exactly that. They were aware that he was speaking and knew that his words were of importance. But the prospect of slipping into a warm bed with or without food and en-suite bathrooms with hot and cold water, showers, bidets or any other mod-cons was appealing enough on its own. Anything else was just too much to take in.

And so as he finished his sparse low-down on their residence and situation they simply nodded and turned to their rooms. Cloud and Tifa were the only pair to couple in a room whilst the others chose to remain separate. The thought of Sephiroth and Cid becoming roommates was almost enough to break Yuffie's solemn silence in a bout of giggles. 

But without so much as a 'good-night!' or 'see you tomorrow!' they entered into their private sanctuaries and fell unconscious the second their heads hit the pillows. 

Reeve's gaze looked out over the sector before him but focused on nothing. His eyes were numb, his body was numb and so the rest of the world was dead. Non-existent and utterly irrelevant.

It meant nothing any more. None of it did. Not exploding reactors, not ravaging fires nor even as Reno had so pleasantly phrased it, '_fucked up stories'_ which seemed meaningless anyway. 

Cait was gone. Cait Sith, the member of AVALANCHE which had always brought so much happiness in his impish way had been eliminated, sucked in by the impartial fate that he had placed so much faith in. They said he had sacrificed himself so that the others could escape. Good Cait… good, brave, courageous Cait Sith whose friends had meant so much. Defiant, cheerful and somehow innocent despite everything that had happened.

Did he know? Did he understand everything that had happened? Or was the world around him taken in with the same childish innocence he seemed to give the impression of?

"He knew all right…" Reeve breathed in a voice which was little more than his lips forming the motions around the sounds. "Aeris' death… the destruction of Midgar. He understood it all. He was good at hiding it all, better than any of the rest of us. He may have been viewed as little more than a happy commodity, but he knew and longed for more than we could ever understand. Maybe… Maybe in his own way, he comprehended more than we ever could.

"Did he know something we don't?" he questioned himself verbally, already forming an answer in his mind. "Poor Cait… . So childish in his manner but so much more underneath. Did you know something, my Cait? Did someone tell you something that you never passed on? Some important piece of information that we could never grasp? Did you get it, my Cait? Did you really?

"I wish I had your courage... I wish I had everything you had. Friends that loved, and still do love you. Respect, adoration and a firm belief in what is so hidden and secreted from the rest of the world. 

"… Or maybe not… . This Fate… this Fate that you praised so much. Was it little more than you desire to grasp something that was somehow all-powerful and knowing without falling into question? Or was there, and still is a greater plan and purpose for us?"

Reeve paused and a weak smile touched his lips. He reached up to wipe his face free of sweat, but was surprised to find tears streaming from his eyes. Surprise made way for dreadful sorrow as he elapsed into a sob and wept quietly into his hands, cradling his face in his handkerchief. 

His ears closed to all sounds except the wracking sobs that tore through his ragged frame, he didn't hear the sound of soft footfall until it was too late. A shadow fell across the floor before him and his head jerked up to face the source.

Elena stood to one side of him, a mug of coffee in her hand. At the sight of the broken man before her, she put it down on the desk and knelt by his side awkwardly. She had spent most of the past few years with Reno and Rude, two men who would rather die than be caught in such a 'weak' position. She had almost forgotten than men could cry.

Acting instinctively however, she embraced him gently and allowed him to cry into her shoulder as Tifa had done barely an hour before. She found her hand stroking his back reassuringly and her mind filled with thoughts of pity and sorrow for his suffering. Had being a Turk for so long robbed her of so many more experiences like this?

The broken man continued to pour his grief out onto her for many minutes before his tears finally ceased running although his sorrow remained and continue to fester inside his soul like a wicked tumour.

"I'm all right now," he said quietly as she stood and took a few steps back. "I'm… just really tired. That's all. I need sleep… but I can't"

In truth he wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to sleep again. Images of the cat that had effectively become his son sitting amidst flames that charred and destroyed everything in their reach were too strong to push back. Whenever he closed his eyes he knew that for an eternity he'd see that before him. He suppressed another sob and choked it back, coughing into his white hankie as he physically gagged on the emotion. 

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Reno told me… . "

He nodded and held up his hand weakly. "You don't have to say anything," he responded. "I don't want any pity. I'm not the one who is gone for God's Sake."

He almost gave a bark of laughter at his curse. God? What God could exist that stole the life of the innocent and pure in such a cruel fashion??

She nodded solemnly. "Even so… if you want anything, you just have to call."

He gave her a forced smile in return. "Sure. Thanks, Elena."

"What for?"

He shrugged. "I don't know." He glanced at his desk. "For the coffee."

She smiled in return but there remained a look of motherly concern on her face which Turk or not could never be removed. "You need to rest and I won't hear any excuses. Even if it's just for a few hours, you need some shut-eye."

He gave a reluctant confirmation. "Yeah… I guess so."

He stood slowly and moved over to one of the black, leather couches. He slumped down on it and immediately teetered over onto his side. His eyes closed quickly and a few minutes later he gave out soft snores.

Elena shook her head and draped his dark blue jacket over his shoulders before turning off the lights and finally leaving the office.

__

**********************

Midnight, our sons and daughters

Were cut down and taken from us

Hear their heartbeat…

We hear their heartbeat

In the wind

We hear their laughter

In the rain

We see their tears

Hear their heartbeat…

We hear their heartbeat

Night hangs like a prisoner

Stretched over black and blue

Hear their heartbeat…

We hear their heartbeat

In the trees

Mothers of the Disappeared,

By U2


	17. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 17 'Revelations'

"Oh… you awake?" Cloud asked as softly as possible in case he was wrong.

Eventually the woman held in his arms began to stir with more purpose than she had before. Her face lifted and her burgundy eyes gazed towards his iridescent blue irises.

"Yeah," she whispered in return. She wrapped her arms tighter around his waist and ran a hand up his chest. "I'm sorry. Did I wake you up…?"

He shook his head. "No. As tired as I am, I just can't sleep." 

He couldn't quite recall how long he had been sitting like this; still and silent, staring into the dark as though his eyes could pierce it like Vincent's. No, he'd remained in bed, half lying and half sitting, utterly blind save for the dim dusk light from outside. His head and back resting upon a ramp of pillows pushed up against the headboard. 

His brow furrowed as he struggled to remember exactly what had been going through his mind for the many hours he had remained in his statue-like guise. Meaningless images which undoubtedly meant nothing in the long run he reasoned. That was all that seemed to be occupying his brain recently.

As he dwelled on this thought he started to recollect that this was precisely what he had done during the Meteor Crisis. Some of the things he'd seen, some of the things he's said and experienced had no place in the soul of a young man. It was so much easier to occupy himself with other, random and pointless thoughts. They kept him busy and prevented him from sitting down and slowly going crazy, his mind eaten away by the very insanity of what he had gone through. Double lives, spilt personas and of course the very fact he didn't have any idea who the hell he was. 

Surely that was excuse enough for him to allow himself to drift? Didn't he deserve his moments of numbness and idleness of the mind better than any other man? Well… more than most at least… . 

"It's weird isn't it?"

"What? That you can't sleep? Or this whole situation?" Tifa asked quietly.

He seemed thoughtful. "Both really," he shrugged eventually. A weak smile touched his visage. "I wonder if we'll ever be allowed to grow old, huh?"

A smile on her delicate, rose tinted lips matched his own. "At the moment it seems not," she responded with a faint touch of humour. "I think there are a few more things we can do to make the world a better place before we move into a retirement home."

His smile broadened marginally until it showed genuine warmth and happiness. "Why couldn't our calling have been something like making sure there were enough speed signs in the Midgar city centre? Or why couldn't we campaign against chocobo racing?"

She let out a chuckle. "'AVALANCHE, protectors of chocobo rights across the globe'! It somehow doesn't have quite the right ring to it."

"And 'AVALANCHE, Defenders of the Universe' does?"

Her chuckle became a laugh and he joined her. After the entire Meteor Crisis they had indeed been seen as 'gods' in their own right, protectors of the weak and innocent; saviours of the human race. 

In their _own_ eyes whereas, they'd selfishly pursued a suicidal goal that had brought death and pain to all of them. The only thing they believed that they'd ultimately protected was their own honour and sanity; something they would have lacked if they'd simply sat back and allowed their foes to continue their merciless reigns. 

The aura in the room suddenly went cold however as they found all humour and contentment sucked from their souls to feed an unseen predator. Tifa gave a shudder and Cloud pulled her closer to himself. Despite their laughter and warm talk, something wasn't right and probably never would be again.

"I miss Cait," Tifa breathed after a while and Cloud realised what was so wrong.

She snuggled up closer to him and her head rested on his chest as he ran his fingers through her long, silky hair. A single tear rolled down her cheek and onto his skin, died silver, bronze and gold from the colour of the evening outside the window. It soaked into the sheets and disappeared from view. 

Their flight from the decimated remains of the building which had once been 'Tifa's Seventh Heaven' had left them little time to sit back and allow the events of the night to sink in and take grip. He had been holding back the inevitable, dismissing the memories of the cat from his mind with other, less relevant images. But now there was no escaping reality. 

Cait Sith was dead. 

Aeris had been the first member of AVALANCHE to succumb to the fate of their quest. And now the irrepressible, fortune telling and utterly caring Cait Sith had been consumed by the same dark summon. 

The tiny, innocent member, who although had at one point been AVALANCHE's most hated target had quickly redeemed himself to become one of the most loved. His light-hearted antics and complete child-like love of his friends had won him a firm place in their hearts. 

Who could not help but love the small, furry figure?

__

The evil bastards who struck out and took his life without a second thought; **that's** who. 

Although tears now streamed down Cloud's own face, his fist clenched in deep fury. 

Tifa once more looked up and met his stare with tear-stained eyes. "Why did he have to go?" she whispered and Cloud shook his head, his bottom lip trembling.

Looking into that beautiful, heart shaped face with eyes that constantly questioned the evil in the world, he felt his heart break. He wanted nothing more than to give her an answer, but his fluttering heart could do nothing except tell him over and over again that he had lost yet another of the people he had dared to let into his psyche. 

__

Another... yes another.

He couldn't let it happen again. Not while those eyes still looked into his own and searched for answers he couldn't give. Not while he knew that his own fragile soul would shatter at another loss. 

He bent his neck down until his lips brushed against her cheeks and he proceeded to kiss away the tears that marred whilst enhancing her beauty. She closed her eyes and started to sob quietly, but she did not move her visage from his own. She allowed the outward signs of her distress to be taken away by one of the only things she felt she could ever care for.

As his mouth drew away yet another salty droplet, she moved her face and tilted it upwards so that mouths met. They kissed full on and she could still taste the saltiness of her grief upon his lips. 

They pulled away and looked into each other's eyes. Every time they did, it seemed as though they caught sight of a new part of the soul they peered into. 

Tifa reached up and lightly brushed away the tears that ran down his own face. She put her fingers to her lips and wiped the wetness away. They leant forward and kissed again. This time their grief was mingled and joined until now they not only shared their love, they also shared their remorse. 

As they both matured and progressed in life together they knew that they would learn to exchange many things. But as they tasted the sorrow and pain upon each other's lips they knew that they had somehow gone further than they had ever dreamed they would.

The strength of their kiss intensified until Tifa felt she could no longer hold herself back. She continued to lock her mouth against his, their hands entwining clumsily in the heat of the moment. Their grip separated as their lips did not, and Cloud's hands moved smoothly up her back, pressing her closer and closer to himself until she felt as though she couldn't breathe. In reality, it hurt, but it was a beautiful pain. 

The situation in that second of time was so heavenly and divine, if it hadn't been for the delicious ache she would have thought it simply a dream. A sweet, wonderful dream like many she'd experienced before. 

But wasn't she supposed to wake up now?

Their relationship in real life had never progressed beyond sharing the same room and bed platonically and so her mind could never take it any further. 

Now though… Now it was so much different.

She knew that, as their lips unlocked and she sank down onto the bed next to him. She knew that, as their lips met once more and she fell into the type of utter bliss she had only read about and envisioned in fantasy stories.

Was love as true as this possible? 

…Right then, at that moment, she knew it was… . 

How long…? How long had it been…? Such a long, long time surely… . How long had it been since he'd slept so heavily? How long had it been since he'd been able to close his eyes without the images of blood stained corpses strewn across his vision? No children screaming out to him… no mothers reaching out with pleading eyes and bloody hands. How long…?

How long since he had been so tired?

Sephiroth stirred as the first silvery shafts of light that penetrated the darkness indicating the smothering night began to push through the blinds over his windows. He stretched without opening his eyes feeling his body crack and joints pop in a sickly satisfying fashion. His lips turned upwards in a morbidly content expression. 

Slowly, heavy lids lifted over aqua eyes which focused on the ceiling above his bed. 

It _had_ been a long time, hadn't it? But the entire question was based on the belief that there had actually been a time before now when he had felt so comfortable and without any emotion bar contentment. 

The very pondering and searching for an answer to such a depressing question slowly started to eat away his initial comfort until now he was left as before. Hollow, remorseful and unable to forget the past no matter what Vincent had accused him of during their shared vision. Their vision of the Vigilante.

__

What was It? What had been deemed so important that the two remaining instruments of Jenova had been summoned to witness? 

No that wasn't right… . There was only one instrument of Jenova. Him. Vincent was free; he had been since his fitful slumber in the basement of the Shinra Mansion. 

The ironic thing seemed to be that whilst he was still a part of that virus although she had been terminated, he felt little shame for what he was; only what he had done in the past. Vincent whereas hated every little thing about himself and he was free. 

__

Free from control? Or free like the animal which has been contained all its life only to be released into the heart of a harsh and savage world?

He shrugged to himself. Who was to know? Questions like these were ones that great philosophers of past times would spend much of their life contemplating. These were the kinds of dilemmas that Cetra scribes wrote hundreds and thousands of tomes all about. The musings of a man whose mind is still bleary from sleep is no more likely to discover the answer than a lunatic. 

Perhaps even, they were the _most_ likely to understand and realise… . 

__

But the Vigilante. What is its purpose? Who is it and where has it originated from? 

He shook his head in answer to his own questions. He had no idea; was he supposed to? 

A demonic serpent in the middle of a hellish landscape. It had made its purpose to kill and destroy all living things, but to what aid? It had stated that all life upon the planet drained and weakened it. It had likened all living creatures to leeches; blood sucking leeches which stole the life energy from others in order to survive.

__

(Like Vincent…)

So was this Vigilante a WEAPON? One of the monsters created by the planet in order to defend it 

__

(when I tried to destroy everything) 

in a time of crisis? Or was it something more? 

It certainly didn't behave like one of the giant, mythical monsters. For one it seemed to have an intelligence, which although very aggressive and violent was of the same level as any human he had spoken with. It spoke and justified its methods and purpose in a crude fashion, but did so nonetheless. 

But why would a being of such power and mentality feel a need to defend the planet; especially now that any crises were over? Perhaps It was some kind of a hindrance tool; prevention generally was better than cure. Why wait for a problem to start before healing it? 

What better method of asepsis was there than eliminating all life? Doing so would remove all possibility of pollution, harming by unnatural methods and of course, permanently putting a halt to any or all creatures that sought godhood and command over the Earth.

But the Planet wasn't that cruel, surely? It had thrived during the time of the Cetra when man and his earth worked together in harmony. Now people were finally starting to understand the importance of things like the Lifestream; how vital it was for them to protect the environment and land by looking after themselves and fellow creatures. 

Why would the Planet suddenly decide to obliterate all it had created when man was finally understanding and learning?

Sephiroth rubbed his temples. All of this thinking and seeking answers he knew he could not provide was giving him a migraine. 

He sat up in bed and smoothed down the covers either side of himself. How long had he been asleep? He turned his head to look at a clock which stood on the cabinet by the side of the comfortable cot. It read "7:15pm" in flashing, red LED's against a digital, black screen.

Although he hadn't paused to read the time off any clocks before he had fallen asleep, he knew it had been around Six o'clock in the morning. He'd slept thirteen hours and still felt as though he could sleep for thirteen more.

What would his SOLDIER training commander have said now if he knew that his 'star student' had spent over half a day in a bed? 

Sephiroth suppressed a grin that threatened to touch his thin lips at the thought. He would have been given fifty laps of the HQ building, night watch for two months and worst of all, porridge for every meal, every day for the rest of his life. 

God, how much had he hated that entire period of his life? He mused that it was probably due to the fact that it was one of the few times which had any relevance to who he was. 

Before the age of fourteen, when most young boys aspired to work for the Shinra, he remembered nothing. Blurred images, white-hot pain and visions of Hojo filled his brain as he sought to recall his past. Things that dissuaded him from being overly curious.

He shook his head to dispel the loathed thoughts and swung his legs off the side of the mattress. As his feet touched the soft, carpeted floor he stood and walked over to the window of his room.

He had fallen asleep in the attire he had hiked through frozen Midgar in the night before. His black trousers and knee-high boots. He felt oddly exposed and naked. Maybe it was due to his remembrance of the nightmarish trip coupled with the knowledge that every citizen in Midgar 

__

(no, the world) 

was calling for his death. That was if they didn't already presume him eliminated.

The sunset over Midgar had always been a beautiful event as he recalled. He regretted missing it, now of all days. It felt as though it was the last time he would ever spend looking over such a view. Now, the moon hung high in the sky beaming down liquid silver across the metropolis. Dusk came early at that time of year, early February. 

But the sight of the quicksilver-coated cityscape was enough to quench his thirst for something to drain all thoughts of monsters and threats from his mind. Now that Reeve had rebuilt this once poisoned mega-city it seemed more like a refuge than a polyp on the face of existence. It's beautiful streets with bustling markets; varied lifestyles and multi-cultural themes made it a Mecca of the new age. Midgar had always led the world forward in innovations and standards of life. Perhaps it was finally showing a good example; a shining beacon depicting the way of things to come. 

Sephiroth hoped so. The world he had left behind the first time had been one of misery, betrayal, crime, cruelty and death. Now even the people seemed so much happier and content with life. The feelings were contagious. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't drudge up a point in his history when he had felt so… what was the word? Happy? Content?

No… he couldn't think of a way to phrase it. It somehow felt as though for once in his life he belonged. It was fate that had returned him with the ominous message of 'destiny'. He was _supposed_ to be there. It was his _duty_ to be alive. 

Not many men could say that, could they?

It wasn't an interesting ceiling by any means. Plain, flat and very, very white. She wondered if the bed she lay in had ever been slept in before. She wondered if the room had even been entered previous to herself last night.

__

Of course it has… how would they have built it if no one had come in? she reprimanded herself idly.

Such meaningless thoughts had been plaguing her for the past hour, much as they had Cloud. When people like them had the time to themselves they couldn't help but allow such pointless musings to control them. They needed action, adventure; just something to stop them from going mad. Unfortunately, staring at the roof of her room didn't fulfil any of the requirements.

Her mind went blank for a long, long time. She wasn't sure just how long exactly, but when she eventually snapped out of her meditations, the moon had replaced the harsh yellow disk of the sun. Silver light now dappled in the place of gold forming puddles of cold metal on the quilt that lay over her. It didn't mean anything though. In reality, nothing did any more.

A single word, no, _name_ was all that flitted through her thoughts. Everything linked back to that and that alone… .

The ceiling was white. _So was he._

The noise and chatter that drifted down the hallway to her room was loud and cheerful. _So was he._

The sun that shone outside had been bright and warm. 

"So… was he," Yuffie sobbed as she rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face into the downy pillow which her head had been resting on.

Except, he wasn't white any more. The soft white fur which had covered his stomach and chest was singed and black now. No longer pristine and white. No longer smooth and silky.

He was no longer loud and cheerful. His final words had been so wonderfully uplifting that her heart burst even to think of them now. But it was useless. Could she ever feel happy again?

The brightness and warmth of his personality had been destroyed. Melted, disintegrated and swept upwards by the thick plumes of smoke that poisoned the sky. 

No more would he make her smile, no more would she hear his welcoming cry of 'Hi y'all!' when he dropped by in Tifa's old bar. No more could she plan in her mischievous way the latest trick to play on the 'old ones' or the 'boring people'.

Never again could she be a child. He had been the only thing keeping that alive. When he was around… When he _had been_ around she had felt younger than she ever had before. 

In Wutai, childhood was a nasty stage; it was a phase that all people had to go through. It could be eliminated by rigorous tome learning, Da-Chao worshipping and ninja training. Could anyone blame her for hating her father so much? The one who although she revered and respected, could never truly love? 

She was young at heart and thought that no one could ever take that away from her no matter how many times she saw her town fall, no matter how many wounds she suffered and in turn inflicted. 

But Cait Sith… Cait… the embodiment of all that made her the free spirit she was allowed to be when with her friends…. . 

Cait… the one who sparked off that part of her which made her realise how good it was to be a child again. 

Cait… the only who she felt could ever understand and relate to her.

But… he was gone now. Maybe off to the lifestream, maybe nothing more than a charred heap of wires and electronic circuitry. 

Another sob wracked through her body and she pressed her face so hard to the pillow she could have suffocated herself.

No, it couldn't end like this! Cait had saved the planet! Cait had done so much to help AVALANCHE restore the world and better it. Cait had been her best friend… . 

And Vincent… . Now he'd gone too. Drawn away by a greater force; maybe the force which Cait had believed so much in. 

He was losing himself and she felt as though she was losing him. Hojo had done terrible things to him, and it was slowly stealing his mind, robbing him of who he was and what he loved. Had there ever been a being capable of such evil on the planet?

Jenova had acted out of instinct; like all viruses it was her purpose in life to conquer and destroy. Sephiroth had been deluded, driven by false promises and hatred.

Hojo though... Hojo was or had at some point in his life been human. He had loved, he had hated. But now no compassion existed until now he only lived for the pain of others. He didn't even revel in it or gain any satisfaction; it was as though he had needed suffering to exist.

Yuffie shook her head. She couldn't understand it; she wasn't even sure if she wanted to. Would being able to look into the mind of such a cruel and insane man drive her just as crazy?

Everyone was going; now she knew how Tifa felt. 

Where had the carefree and wild side to her gone? She almost wanted it back. It was so much easier just to worry about herself. It was so much simpler not to think about pain and anguish; only where the next piece of materia was coming from. 

Now here she was; red eyed and weeping into a pillow as her only comfort, longing after friends who had long since departed.

The thought only made her more upset. She started to crave even more for the feel of long grass whipping around her legs, fresh breeze blowing through her hair and the emotion of satisfaction turning her lips up in a happy smile as she felt a heavy sack full of materia on her back.

She let out another wail of depression which was cut suddenly short as there came a soft, barely audible knocking on her bedroom door. She froze, the expression of emotion dying on her lips through the shock of discovery. What if it was a troop of Office security men? What if they'd heard her cries all of the way down the corridor and had come to investigate. Had she let her friends down??

She choked back another wail which threatened to break free from her throat and hid it in a slight cough, muffling it in the pillow once more.

Despite her best efforts at silence, the knocking was repeated. 

Before she could react, the door opened and closed quickly as a single figure entered. She dared a peek above the quilt and was surprised to watch Cid sit down on the end of her bed.

"You might want to keep your grievin' down," he said not unkindly after a few moments of thick silence had elapsed. "I could hear you in the next room along."

"Sorry," she whispered in return, her voice parched from so much weeping. "I'll try to be quiet."

He gave a weak smile. "I'm not saying you shouldn't be upset. It would just be a bit of a downer if we went an' got caught after all we've been through, huh?"

She nodded in agreement, still holding the quilt up above the bottom half of her face. She'd been so surprised to see the old pilot in truth that she hadn't thought to remove it. 

He reached out gently and tugged it down so that it lay across her lap, covering her legs and the end of the bed. She still wore Vincent's old shirt, the same one that he'd lent to her the first night she had stayed in his apartment.

It was comfortable and baggy; it reminded her unbearably of him. And if she closed her eyes, she could still smell him on the black material despite the fact that she'd probably worn it more than he had. Faint scents of dust and old buildings which was not unpleasant; it made her think of old books and winter somehow. 

Her shoulders slumped and her hands lay limply by her sides at the depressing reminiscence. Cid reached out again and ruffled her hair in a playful manner; he had done it to her during the Meteor Crisis often. They never had been close, not really; but he still had a way of making her smile in a gruff and 'mature' way. Unlike Cait who could tell her a childish joke or tell her the latest prank he had been working on just to bring a young grin to her features.

Cid's gesture made her give a weak smile, but the inevitable fact that her mind had wandered back to Cait brought fresh tears.

"Hey now," Cid frowned softly. "Where's that girl gone who used to pester and annoy me all the time? Hmm? Where has the kid gone that used to love putting paint on the buttons in the Highwind cockpit so that I'd have red, blue and green hands for an entire week?"

She couldn't help but giggle. That always had been one of Cait's favourites… . 

She remembered how proud he had been when she first told him about it… . 

__

"That's gotta be the best one yet! He'll never work it out until it's too late!" He'd laughed.

Cid lifted his hands to his face. It was obvious that he was as blind as she was in the dim light, but the happy smile on her face remained there, turning into another giggle as he spoke.

"I can still see some of the paint there now!" he said in mock irritation, the cigarette sitting in the corner of his mouth wagging up and down with every syllable. "Have you any idea how tough that stuff was to get off?"

"Why d'you think we chose it?" she asked impishly and this time her companion laughed.

"I should've suspected as such," he said with a grin. "I hope Alicia doesn't grow up to be a pest like you!"

Yuffie's smile remained and she looked to the window. Cid's gaze also fell to the outside world and out of the corner of her eyes she thought she could see his expression of happiness lessen. She wondered if he was thinking about his daughter at that moment in time.

"How is she?" Yuffie asked, speaking maturely for the first time since his entry.

Cid gave a drawn out sigh and turned to look at her. "When I left Rocket Town she was fine. Doin' really well, you know? She can walk now… Shera has to keep on remindin' me to look back whenever I go to the Highwind in case I have a stalker!"

Yuffie gave a bark of laughter. Alicia certainly was her father's daughter; there was strong resemblance between the two (but not in a bad way). 

On the day she had been born, Cid had taken her up to the Highwind to show her around. Since then, the pilot's daughter had displayed an obvious love for anything technical; if it flew, then all the better!

"Did you know her first word was 'dada'?"

Yuffie said nothing but only nodded politely. Of course she did; they all did. The first day Alicia had said anything remotely coherent, Cid had jumped in the Highwind and stopped off at all the towns on the planet just let them know the good news! 

The phone systems and PHS satellites had long been out of service since Meteor had appeared and destroyed all outer-world methods of communication. Of course phone lines could be reinstalled, but in a world which was only just picking itself off the floor once more, who had the time to do that?

The Highwind had become the main form of transport for any willing to pay enough for the privilege. But since few did that, boats had become so much more popular with docks and harbours sprouting up all over the world. The airship had become little more than a toy for Cid and occasional run-around for any members of AVALANCHE or friends of his family that needed a ride. 

She suspected that he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I think Shera was glad that it wasn't anything else…" Cid's voice trailed off and Yuffie laughed again. This time it was long and clear, full of the joy inside her which had been suppressed so badly by her sorrow.

Cid's mouth was far than pleasant and if Alicia's first word had indeed been in honour of her father's foul manners, Shera would not have been the one to worry! Cid would probably have been banned from the house, prevented all contact with his daughter and the Highwind would have been reduced to a pile of scrap! Shera certainly wasn't a violent person, but when it came to anything threatening or upsetting her daughter then she could be more than a little protective.

Cid's laughter joined Yuffie's until they were both in hysterics. The relief felt so good, so welcome to their lips after such a long period of depression and unhappiness.

And Yuffie began to realise. 

Mourning and sadness wasn't what Cait had wanted. Laughter, joy and contentment was what had had meant most to the cat, and now that he had gone, why should they stop feeling this way? If anything, wasn't it their duty to be even _more_ happy? Even _more_ in praise of life no matter how dire; finding the best in a bad situation?

As the understanding finally sank in, Yuffie laughed harder and louder, tears running down her face once more. But these weren't tears of lamentation. 

No, these were the tears of joy which meant so much to their feline friend.

And as they rolled on the floor, clutching their stomachs and gasping for air to fill their laughter emptied lungs, Yuffie thought with the sharp taste of tears on her lips; 

__

"Here you go Cait Sith! This one's for you…"


	18. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 18 'Sewer Rats'

A light rapping on their bedroom door awoke the sleeping couple as they lay contentedly in each other's arms. Cloud was the first to stir; Tifa merely moaned in her sleep and rolled over to face the bedroom window located opposite the entrance. He felt a smile creep up on his face at her reaction. The poor thing was so exhausted after so little sleep over the past few weeks that it would take a stampede to drag her from bed. Reviewing their present situation, Cloud realised with some numbness that what was trying to contact them was more than any physical action. 

He reluctantly sat up and stretched luxuriously. His period of rest had been the first he'd had for… he couldn't even recall exactly how long it had been. Still, all good things had to come to an end and this brief time of tranquillity and respite was no exception. 

As he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and pulled on his boxers he paused as a faint sound touched his ears. It sounded almost like… shouting. Frowning, he pulled up his underwear and walked over to the blind covered window, parting two of the slats in order to look out onto the main Sector Three road. 

For a fraction of a second, his heart stopped and his breath caught firmly in his throat. As his eyes focused upon the huge crowd of people amassed outside of the Midgar Offices, the once faint sounds of yelling because so much louder until now the loud chants and shouts of Midgar's gathered population rattled through the glass pane. Although he was unable to discern exactly what they were collectively saying, he could take a pretty good guess.

From what he was able to tell by the amount of light in sky it was early night; he had been in bed for a day. A day was more than enough time for investigators from the Office to have sought out and discovered the cause of the massive blaze that would have swept across Sector Six. It would have taken them even less time to realise that there were no human remains in the charred shell that had once been Tifa's livelihood.

He turned, his mouth open in preparation to arouse Tifa from her doze fully, but a louder knocking on their bedroom door sufficed. Tifa's eyes opened lazily and she looked up at Cloud questioningly, trying to grasp what had awoken her from such a delicious stillness. He flashed her a forced smile, unwilling to spring the shock of what was happening outside upon her in her weary state. Lifting his gaze quickly, he turned it towards the door on the opposite side of the bed to him.

"Come in," he called out to the unseen disturber.

The door opened seconds later and Elena stepped in, her manner curt and cold. She put some clothes on the end of the bed and flashed an almost disgusted look in the direction of Tifa who was clutching the thin bed sheets around her; an embarrassed crimson mask flushing on her cheeks.

"These are to replace the clothes you lost," the female Turk announced icily. "As soon as you are both dressed you might want to come to Reeve's office."

Before Cloud could say anything, Elena turned and left as abruptly as she arrived leaving the atmosphere devoid of any of the comfort and warmth it had contained before. Cloud turned his eyes back down to his beloved who was now sitting up, the sheets wrapped around her naked body. Her cheeks were still tinged a self-conscious pink and she bit her bottom lip shyly, looking down at the floor beneath her feet.

Cloud sat down next to her and slid a comforting arm over her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head reassuringly.

"Was what we did… wrong?" she asked quietly after a long period of terrible silence had elapsed.

Cloud stroked her back as she started to wring her hands worriedly. 

"No," he whispered softly in return. "It wasn't."

"But... it was like we didn't care about Cait or something," she breathed in return. "Cait went and sacrificed himself so that we could go on and we've hardly even mourned him. Instead we… ." Her voice trailed off as she let out a shuddering sigh. "I just feel as though we've disgraced him almost by dismissing his demise so quickly. That's what Elena thought as well. She _knew_ what we did and she hates us for it. Even if she isn't a member of AVALANCHE, she can understand how disrespectful we've been to his memory."

Cloud's lips pressed together in a line as he thought deeply and searched for a way to comfort the woman by his side. For all his pacifying words though, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of the guilt she felt so dreadfully.

"The Turks have been weird with us ever since we first met them in the Seven Gardens," Cloud said eventually. "As guilty as we feel now… whatever was making Elena so offhand wasn't linked to our relationship."

Tifa looked up and gazed into his eyes. "Really?"

He nodded and he saw the corners of her soft lips turn upwards in a light smile. "I'm certain."

He stood up once more and moved to where the clothes had been placed. He passed a pair of blue jeans with a white T-shirt to Tifa. She took them gratefully and hastily dressed while he examined and pulled on his own clothes. He had been given a pair of dark blue sweat-pants and a pale purple polo neck sweater, a lot like his old tank top, only with sleeves. When they were both ready they looked each other up and down with approving gazes.

"This is going to be hard, isn't it?" Tifa asked calmly as they stood side by side before the entrance.

Cloud nodded. "We knew it would never be easy," he responded simply. "And so far it hasn't been. As awful as the possibility of all the month's events being linked, it still makes sense. There's a mystery here and come hell or high water we'll get to the bottom of it."

"To Reeve's office then."

"Yeah, let's go." He finished as their hands met and they walked out into the corridor.

"You took your time," came the not unkind statement which greeted the couple as they walked through the maple-wood doors to Reeve's work place.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Cloud answered, directing his apology to the whole room but mainly Reeve who had addressed them on their entry. The executive nodded wearily in response and sat down on his desk, facing into the room and the rabble assembled before him.

AVALANCHE members and Sephiroth stood huddled like refugees on one side of the room, their backs pressed up against the wall in order to get as far away as possible from the opposing force; the Turks. 

__

Why has such a divide arisen? Reeve mused to himself as he observed the warring parties. The only things exchanged between them were now harsh, dangerous glares in the place of jovial insults and banter. 

It was a shame that after six years of hatred the two archenemies had learnt to put their differences aside, only to have them once more reinstated. He couldn't bear to see such hostility. Such horrid undertones and violent atmospheres were common in places such as the old Shinra Corporation. Not in the light and airy world of the Midgar Offices. 

What kind of a state was the world once more elapsing into…?

He made a mental note to mention the new divide as soon as possible to Reno, the unproclaimed leader of the Turks in order to discover exactly what dastardly undertakings were beneath this glacial air. It wasn't right for them all to feel such hatred in a time of obvious peril. Especially with the most recent, fatal twist of events and not forgetting Cait's untimely departure. 

He felt a ball of emotion knot in his throat at even the brief thought of the cat's name but he choked it back and coughed, drawing all of the attention in the room towards himself.

"We have… a new problem," he started falteringly. "Needless to say, my speech was not taken… as well as I would have liked it to have been by Midgar's population."

AVALANCHE and Sephiroth looked at Reeve questioningly. Their exhaustion had kept them asleep for the entire day and so they had missed any news or events surrounding the much-feared press conference which had been planned since Chaos' first witnessed slaughterings. As Reeve began to speak and retell the evening's events to them all, Cloud felt bile rising up the back of his throat as he was reminded strongly of the crowds gathered outside of the Offices that he had looked upon from his bedroom window. It was all coming together now with horrific clarity.

"In short, I failed," Reeve began quietly. "The conference was an astounding failure. Of course it wasn't in the eyes of the Midgar residents and the press, but to all of us gathered here right now, it was a catastrophe."

He paused as he let out a deep sigh and stared down at his feet. "I had it all planned out. I was going to give them the story they wanted; AVALANCHE are missing presumed dead. Their primitive and hate-driven blaze the cause. But that wasn't enough. The press wanted photos, evidence, accounts of the accident investigators and much more things that I couldn't provide them with. I hastily moved on to the topic which has been plaguing every newspaper since yesterday afternoon; the killer demon who has torn eight citizens to pieces. I told all gathered that the creature had fled the city and was seen heading towards Kalm at the last sightings. But again it wasn't enough for them.

"Meteor's demise has acted like a double-edged sword on the population of the planet. On the positive side? People are starting to look out for each other more, appreciating what time they have left and making the most of it. 

"The negative side? Exactly the same. It's true that Vincent has left the city and is unlikely to return, but _they_ don't know that. They don't know that what has happened cannot be solely put upon his shoulders-"

Reeve's train of thought was interrupted by Reno who gave a derisive snort. All eyes fell upon the Turk and he shook his head disgustedly and leant back on the wall, not following up his expression with anything more.

Undeterred, Reeve continued. "Because of this new 'neighbourly concern' across the world, the residents of Midgar don't think that we should sit back whilst the demon that 'terrorised' them moves onto the next community. They feel that all major towns and cities if the world should work together to eliminate such an 'obvious threat'." Judging by the Vice-Mayor's contemptuous use of the hellish descriptions of Vincent, it was obvious he had not warmed to the crusading idea. "I have been given no option but to contact other leaders of districts across the globe to begin to organise search and hunting parties."

A solemn and stiff silence elapsed and smothered the room's occupants.

"As for problems closer to home… we are in an even graver danger. I almost envy Vincent. At this moment in time, all of us gathered in this room are walking a tight-rope."

Again Reno gave an audible expression of scorn but Reeve shot him a sharp glare. 

"_All_ of us," he repeated firmly with a hint of anger. "As I explained last night, it was not just AVALANCHE seen at the events which have ravaged the city over the past few weeks. I could give them no firm evidence that you had met your demises in the flames last night. Because of that, they want the SP and MPs to begin raiding parties to hunt you down like animals."

He exhaled deeply and looked over to his friends. "Everyone who isn't insane or hasn't been living under a rock for the past six years will know that I am strongly linked with you all. I've tried to put across to the press and people that my priority is, and always will be the city and it's residents, but they're starting to see through me. If they even _suspect_ that I could be housing you here, in the Midgar Offices of all places then we're all doomed! They're baying for blood and justice. I've been reading the newspapers all day and from what I gather, they don't think a public execution would be out of place."

Gasps of horror and utter shock sucked the air from the room. Tifa's hand unconsciously clutched at her throat while Yuffie's face drained of colour and she fell back onto the couch behind her. Cid and Cloud both let out explosions of colourful language while Sephiroth continued to stand stoically, only a frown marring his expressionless face. Even the Turks paled at the announcement. It was obvious they'd heard the entire story before, but the very mention of such a dreadful event taking place was enough to force them into sharing a reaction with their old and perhaps new enemies.

Reeve's posture and face remained as grim as ever. He had been there to hear and read about the horrible threats and stories as soon as they appeared but they still hung on his chest like a lead block, crushing his ribcage and weighing on his heart. He swallowed forcefully.

"Drastic times lead to drastic measures," he stated in a low tone. "We were tempting the devil by just allowing you to stay here for a day. Any more time and we would just be pushing our luck. I need to stay here and hopefully keep the public under check, and you three," he nodded towards the Turks. "Need to stay with me. Nothing must seem unusual or out of place."

He finally turned to his friends and the shadowy figure of Sephiroth clad in his normal black trousers and boots wearing a black trench coat, very similar to the one which was destroyed in the fire. The only things missing were the belt and shoulder-pads; items which only advertised and made obvious his old position in SOLDIER. Now he was no longer the general of the Shinra's army; he was Sephiroth. A silver-haired fighter and traveller, striving for a greater cause without all of the accoutrements. Reeve wondered if he found comfort in that thought.

The Vice-mayor's eyes wandered over the motley gang of five gathered before him but they eventually stopped on Cloud, silent messages passed between the two men.

"You all have to go. Now," he said firmly and Cloud gave a slow nod of understanding. The others behind him bar Sephiroth appeared greatly upset by the order although they knew that it was inevitable. "To be honest, you should have fled yesterday but you were too tired then. Search parties have already started to comb the city; it is going to be a nightmare getting you out but I've been working on a plan all day. I knew this time would come but it doesn't make it any easier."

He stood and walked behind his desk, pressing a button beneath the writing surface after fumbling around for a few seconds. There was a mechanical buzzing and eventually a painting of Reeve and Cait Sith sat together in the office jerked and lifted to reveal a safe set into the wall. The executive moved noiselessly over to it and punched in a combination, opening the thick metal door with surprising quietness. He reached inside and produced an armful of paper scrolls and files. The door shut automatically as he moved away and the painting slid back into place.

After flipping through the many sheaths for a long time, he gave a grunt of satisfaction and brushed all of the paper messily onto the floor, smoothing out a single one on the desktop. Giving a slight motion of his hand to the separate parties behind him, they all walked forward and peered over his hunched shoulders.

He had rolled out what appeared to be a map of the train and sewer systems of Sector 3. There were hastily scribbled notes and arrows pointing in erratic directions, clearly where he'd thought out his plan earlier.

Cid whistled through his teeth. "Reeve, maybe if you'd worked on your speech a bit more instead of doodling on blueprints we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Reeve gave a weary chuckle at the comment but shook his head to dismiss the joviality on his mind. Becoming suddenly serious he pointed a finger at a large building; the Offices.

"This is where we are right now," he stated obviously. His finger ran up the blueprint away from himself until it reached the outside of a vast circle; the city perimeter. "This is where you all need to get. The only way I can see you doing that quickly and without detection is through the train and old sewer systems."

Yuffie wrinkled her nose. "Sewer systems? Does that mean we have to wade to freedom?"

"No, don't worry. These are the old pipes and tunnels that were used by Midgar when the Shinra was in power. They've been out of operation for years now. I can't guarantee that it'll be pleasant; far from it in fact. But it's either this or getting executed and I know which I'd prefer."

The young woman gave a dour nod and continued to scan over the complex maps.

"You can gain access to the tunnels from the alley behind the Offices. There should be a ladder there; if not you'll need to find another route. From there you need to follow this map _to the nearest centimetre_ otherwise you could end up getting lost," he said firmly gesturing with his hands over the mass of pipes and corridors. "It's a hellish labyrinth down there and one false turning could be a disaster. 

"If you do what it tells you to on here however then you'll eventually come across a trapdoor. When taken, it will take you down onto the subway tracks. The trains run along the surface as you know, but because the richer civilians live on the outskirts of the city they don't want to see a dirty, loud train rumbling past every few minutes. That's why it goes underground for the last mile or two of its journey. When it does surface, it's well out of inhabited areas and to the train graveyard where it spends its night. 

"If everything goes as planned, you can hitch a ride on the train (there shouldn't be any passengers that late at night and if there are they'll be drunk or asleep) and get off at the graveyard. From there it should be a clear run to the outer wall and freedom."

He took a deep breath and looked at his audience. Although there was puzzlement on some of their faces, others appeared calm and comprehending; he could be thankful for that at least.

"I've gone through it more thoroughly with the Turks so they'll accompany you as far as the trapdoor. There can be no margin of error, understand?"

His query was met with hesitant nods and he stood back, running his hand through his hair to scrape it back off his fatigued visage. "There's no point in staying around here then," he announced in a subdued tone. "The longer we wait, the more inevitable it becomes that you'll all be discovered."

Cloud nodded in agreement. "Just give us an hour, some medical equipment and something to eat. As soon as we're ready we'll move out."

Reeve nodded and turned to Elena. "See to that would you?"

She gave a curt acknowledgement, turned and left the room. Reeve looked to Reno and Rude. "You two go to the sewer cover behind the building, guard it and watch the corridors thereabouts. Make sure no one is around that could bump into you all or jeopardise our plans. It's too early for us to fall prey to something as stupid as a mistake like that."

The remaining two Turks left after Elena, closing the door quietly behind them. Reeve eventually glanced over his companions. 

Cloud, Tifa and Sephiroth's attire he had already noticed and examined but it was the clothing of the final two members of the assorted group which took his attention. Yuffie was wearing a pair of blue-jeans like Tifa's, only the lady of Wutai had refused her sweat-shirt in favour of the huge black shirt which he recognised as belonging to the absent, tortured member of AVALANCHE. She had the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and seemed very comfortable huddled into it. Every now and then however she would pull and tug at her tight jeans irritatedly. Ever since he'd known the young ninja she had always preferred shorts to anything else because of the freedom they gave her. Stifling trousers were certainly not her thing and she looked most out of place in them.

Cid still had on his lucky bomber jacket (at least something had remained constant) with an unlit cigarette dancing along his ungloved fingers as he numbly toyed with the thin object. At first glance he appeared no different than usual but on his bottom half he donned a pair of new walking boots and dark blue training pants, like Cloud's only baggier. His face also showed signs that the undue and sudden stress of the months events had taken his age by surprise. The pilot, like any other member of the Eco-warrior group was not getting any younger. Although the initial bouts of activity had instilled him with a sense of vibrancy and youthfulness, now the long cold nights and many hours spent worrying and trying to remain calm sucked the energy from his bones and left a weary, abused outer shell.

None of the others were any better. Cloud and Sephiroth's illness, Yuffie's exposure to events that no-one no matter how old should have to bear witness to, Cid's general weariness and of course Tifa's over anxiety and concern for her companions. All situations taken into account; AVALANCHE were well beyond their years. Time had been cruel to them and fate was being crueller. 

He imagined that he didn't look any better. Judging by the pitying looks he received in return from his comrades as he scrutinised them, he probably looked worse. 

Clearing his throat, he stood and moved around his desk to sit down on his comfortable leather chair. Cloud and Sephiroth knelt down next to Yuffie's feet and proceeded to examine the damaged ankle. She met their advances with surprising resilience, only letting out subdued whimpers as Cloud twisted the limb in gentle motions in order to see what was wrong. A few minutes later the doors to the office opened and Elena walked in, pushing a box of supplies over to him with her foot. She placed a tray of food on Reeve's desk and went to stand next to him, her gaze flicking coldly over the rabble.

Cid was the first to stand and help himself to the food, shortly followed by Tifa who took the pallet and took it around the room like the hostess and matronly figure she was born to be. Reeve couldn't help but allow an affectionate smile touch his lips as she finally offered him a piece of bread from off the tray. He declined politely and she placed it down in its original place, finally sitting next to Yuffie on a chair.

The ninja let out a pained cry, shoving her head into a pillow as there was a loud click and Sephiroth snapped her foot back into place. He hastily strapped a splint onto the calf and tied bandages around it tightly. That done, Cloud produced a piece of cure materia from the supplies box and held it against the wound. There was an eventual green glow which spread from the green orb onto the limb and enveloped it in a healing haze. Yuffie's face contorted in malady as she felt the tissue and sinews fuse together once more, locking the bones in place and almost totally restoring her leg to normal.

Sephiroth pulled off the temporary binding around her leg and Cloud once more started to play with it. This time there was a tingling sensation in place of the agony that had ripped up her leg before. She gave a grim smile.

"Thanks," she said with hesitant gratefulness, turning her eyes to Sephiroth and Cloud.

Cloud patted her on the head affectionately as he stood and sat down next to Tifa. 

Sephiroth however gave her a peculiar gaze and a light smile touched his thin lips. She felt a wave of shock run through her. The last time she had seen those chiselled features smile had been as she stood before him, frozen in terror and surrounded by the depravity of the Northern Crater. But then that expression had been to conceited, so arrogant and full of spite. 

The smile which he flashed her now was so different that she found herself believing without doubt that the Sephiroth which now fought with them was a completely different person. It was just as Cloud had said. He was nothing to do with the 'One Winged Angel' that had almost torn them limb from limb, scattering their dismembered bodies with malevolence across the cosmos. 

Sephiroth the general had returned once more and was crouched before her, tending to her wounds and gratefully accepting any attention they put his way.

That smile, that show of gratitude had been so thankful, so warming. It was as though he was basking in her praise, and bestowing his eternal thankfulness for her appreciation. He seemed to thrive and sustain himself upon that one moment of positive recognition, and as their eyes locked she found a smile creeping up on her own face.

He stood and turned away. The moment had lasted barely a second but as Yuffie felt a part of the immature child she had once been melt away, it stayed that way for a lifetime. The past could be laid to rest; endeavouring to keep its bitter memory alive was futile and pointless. The future lay ahead and with it brought new adventures, chances and friendships. Vendettas could be forgotten for the sake of what was to come.

Suddenly the feeling of sitting upon the plains of Gongaga around a campfire with the happy chatter of companions in her ears seemed so much closer. And the prospect was even more precious to her.

A foul burst of ancient, grimy gas burst upwards in a puff of swirling white, poisoning the night air with its potent stench. All present found themselves gagging back to prevent vomit from creeping up their throats at the vile smell; even those furthest away from it's epicentre. Shrugging back every fibre of common sense which screamed at them to get away as fast as they could from the obviously dangerous place, the group began to lower themselves into the hole. 

Slippery rungs, wet with a substance that Yuffie didn't even want to think about were their only way of getting to the bottom. She simply focused her eyes on the green coated bricks which moved upward across her vision with each step she took down. All were eager to remove themselves from the grim situation and so hurried quickly down the aged ladder. 

After a period of time which passed slower than many others in their lives, all eight members of the rabble assembled messily on the sludge covered floor. To their relief, the smell seemed to only hang in the air at the very top of the unimaginably huge tube that they found themselves in. It led off in front and behind them towards the myriad of passageways and tunnels they had to navigate through. Still, the visions they shared of hideous creatures writhing and twisting around their ankles, disguised and shrouded in the mucky-brown swampy water which came up to their calves were foul enough on its own. 

"Which way?" Cloud asked firmly, turning to face Reno with eyes which glowed icy blue in the black air.

There was a soft click and a sudden beam of light emerged from the darkness. Reno held up a torch and threw it over to the leader of AVALANCHE who caught it a little clumsily. The two other Turks did likewise, throwing their light sources towards two other people and then lighting ones for themselves. Both Yuffie and Cid shone theirs around, gasping in a child-like wonder at the place they were in. A curved roof, the top of the tube they walked in, hung perhaps twenty-five metres above them. The walls bowed down to the floor which was the only flat surface in the area. Dark browny-green mire oozed out of the walls, dripping every so often into the stagnant lake they were stood in. Although amazement at the fact man could build such a vast place had stolen over then originally, now repulsion filled their minds until the feeling of the grim liquid surrounding their ankles was a sour relief to the revulsion they felt by looking at it.

The sound of shuffling, crumpled paper echoed around the vast tube as the members of AVALANCHE ceased their searching to watch Reno. The fiery Turk fumbled for a few seconds with the large map Reeve had given them. He eventually held it out before him and looked at it over the lit torch he had clamped between his teeth. After a few minutes of silence, he rolled up the sheet once more and put the light in his hand. Flashing over to his right he nodded towards the spot of illumination it formed where it hit the sludgy surface of the water. 

"We go that way," he said emotionlessly.

He started to walk, his eyes focused firmly ahead as though he couldn't bear to look down and see just what the hell was soaking into the hem of his trousers. Elena and Rude flanked him impassively, not even glancing back at their AVALANCHE counterparts as they trudged forward through the muck.

"We should follow them," Sephiroth stated to break the tense silence once the Turks were out of earshot. "We cannot risk getting lost in this place. Reeve wasn't exaggerating when he said it was like a labyrinth."

Tifa gave a lopsided smile. "Yeah we know… we're all veteran Sewer Rats. I've spent longer down here than I'd care to admit."

Cloud nodded and flashed her a quietly amused smile. "Still, we should get going."

He was met with wordless nods and the group of five strode quickly after the blue-suited trio in order to keep themselves safe. The situation remained the same for an insanely long time; portholes and ladders placed in measured distances along the walls of the massive pipe. Every now and then they would hear a crash or shudder as trains moved below them and mobs charged overhead. The only grim satisfaction came from the fact that as they moved, with every step the revulsion they felt for the swampy water lessened until now it was a minor inconvenience. 

The monotony ended after half an hour of silent marching however as the first junction in the journey appeared. 

"Which way, Reno?" Cloud asked, finding it increasingly difficult to suppress his natural feelings of leadership. He was met with a cold aqua stare which eventually lowered to look down at the map. Cloud narrowed his eyes and took a few deep and calming breaths. He realised that his feelings of leadership weren't the only thing he needed to keep in check.

"Left."

And again they started; the routine becoming frequent and no longer a break from the dullness of their circumstances. It _became_ their circumstance. Walk for a few minutes, stop and look at the map. Walk for a few minutes, stop and look at the map. Cid wondered dourly how many people had died through sheer madness in the hellhole.

"Oh shit! Stop!" Reno suddenly announced after the twentieth (or was it thirtieth?) turn.

"What is it?" Yuffie gasped in alarm, whirling around to quickly count the members of the group. "Is everyone here??"

"No you idiot," Reno hissed through gritted teeth. "I think I made a wrong fucking turn."

"You _what_??" Cid cried in horror. "When?? If you tell me that we have to go through all that again, then I swear Reno I'm gonna make you scream so loud they'll hear you back at the Offices!!"

Reno glared with startling fury at the pilot. "You wouldn't _dare_ touch me," he whispered dangerously in return. "I'll smash your brains out with my nightstick if you take a step towards me… if it hasn't been shrivelled by all that damned chain smoking that is."

"Why, you…!!" Cid screamed in a rage as he spun the Venus Gospel and thrust Yuffie out of the way in order to get a clean shot at the source of his ire.

Reno in return whipped out his nightstick, the map fluttering to the ground and deftly caught mid-air by Elena who leapt back in alarm as her boss sprinted forward. He gave a cry of anger and raised the stick in order to bring it down on the pilot who had pulled back his arm in preparation to fling the spear.

Both would have collided violently with the undoubtable screams of pain predicted had the four remaining members of AVALANCHE not grabbed and pulled back the warring men. Cloud smashed down Cid's hand on his knee and the jarring caused the fingers to release their grip on the elegant shaft. Sephiroth snapped back and twisted Reno's arm around his back yanking the nightstick from his grip and turning it off before throwing it far away where it was swallowed by the sludge.

"Damnit!! CALM DOWN!!" Cloud roared with fury. "What the hell do you think you're both doing??"

At the sound of Cloud's voice both men ceased their squirming and became guiltily still, flashing menacing glares at each other, and in Reno's case, at the accuser. 

"This is no time to start up old feuds!" he continued angrily. "If you two have to fight like children, then for God's sake, do it where you aren't going to end up getting the rest of us killed!"

"Stuck up fucking Turk," Cid growled crassly. "I think you're trying to get us all caught, aren't you?"

"You honestly think I'd _try_ to be seen with a bunch of murdering losers like you?" Reno contended venomously.

"You may think that we're losers," Tifa intervened with a sorrowful but vicious tone to her voice. "But we are _not_ murderers."

"You try telling that to the people of Midgar," Reno answered. He had lost any of the furious energy in his voice and now seethed with a cool hatred. He shrugged off the grips of Yuffie and Sephiroth and straightened out his constantly unkempt jacket with obvious arrogance. He ran a hand through his hair and glared accusingly at the group of Eco-warriors.

"It was no one's fault that those people were killed-" Cloud began but was cut off promptly.

"Oh no? So I suppose they tore themselves to pieces did they?"

They fell silent and Reno shook his head with disgust. 

"It wasn't their fault and it wasn't Vincent's fault," Sephiroth murmured unintrusively. "If it was anyone's it was mine for making him so angry… ."

Reno gave a bark of laughter. "I can't believe how stupid you all are!" he exclaimed incredulously with a laugh of disbelief. "Even when something happens which has nothing to do with you, you blame yourselves!"

Yuffie's face crumpled into a frown. "I don't get this… are you saying that you don't blame us?" she asked with a puzzled expression. 

"Maybe you weren't the ones to pull the trigger, but you all sure as hell made the gun." Reno answered with a sigh.

"Now you're starting to confuse me," Cid announced with a shake of his head.

"Well that wasn't too hard," Elena piped in with narrowed eyes.

She opened her mouth as though she were about to continue, but Reno held up a hand and she fell instantly silent. "You know Elena… I think that they… _genuinely_ don't get it… ." He gazed at the group of five before him contemplatively and Cloud glared back.

Not only was it bad enough having an insulting Turk accusing you of crimes no better than those they committed themselves, it was worse to have a group of Turks who knew something you didn't. He only had to glance at his companions to know that they shared his discomfort. Reno exhaled deeply and he turned to take the map from the female Turk behind him. As he pulled it out before him and glanced over it, his eyes were glazed with thought. "I honestly thought you knew," he breathed.

After a few seconds, he rolled up the sheet and passed it back to Elena who took it without complaint once more. "We can talk and walk at the same time," he stated as he looked down the passageway they had just entered through. "I think it's almost midnight; we don't have much time."

Cloud nodded with understanding and he looked at his friends. "I'll walk with Reno for a while," he said quietly. "I'll tell you all he says, but for now keep your eyes and ears open."

Cid looked as though he were about to object, but a comforting hand on his arm from Tifa hushed his complaint. And so they began again… .

"So what is it, Reno?" Cloud asked once he and the Turk leader were well ahead of the others. "Just… let me know something. Things between the Turks and AVALANCHE have never been perfect, but I thought we'd put everything behind us. Is this 'thing' you know that we don't the reason why you've been so cold to us?"

Reno cleared his throat and stared impassively at the muck beneath his feet as he walked. He seemed to be gathering his thoughts, and as Cloud opened his mouth to prompt him, Reno began to speak.

"I have one word," he whispered cautiously as though there were hidden demons listening in on their conversation. His eyes darted from side to side warily and wildly hoping to focus on something he suspected was present. "Valentine," he ended in a hiss.

Cloud's eyebrows raised. "Y, you mean that Vincent is the problem?"

Reno's lips pursed and he gave a single, slow nod. "Yeah," he answered quietly.

"We've already explained to you about why he killed those people. It wasn't his fault-"

"So you've said," Reno interrupted icily. "But you don't know anything; really you don't."

Cloud's eyes narrowed in puzzlement, but this time he bit down on his tongue to prevent himself to speaking. He wasn't quite sure whether the words which would come from his mouth would be ones of sick curiosity or ones of anger, warning Reno never to say a word against his friends ever again. Reno took his silence as a gesture to continue and he cleared his throat anxiously.

"I know that you, or any of your other little buddies don't think much of us three. But if you don't mind me saying so, you're all fucking hypocrites."

Cloud's jaw dropped and his eyes widened in shock. "I, I don't know what the hell you're talking about Reno!" he stumbled in stunned words. "We've all done things we're not proud of, but we've put them behind us-"

Reno shook his head and Cloud once more elapsed into reticence. 

"As far as I'm concerned we've put things to rest; there's no point in keeping up old feuds, especially considering our current situation," he sighed. "But damn man! Valentine… I, I just can't believe how naïve you all are!"

Cloud's steps faltered as he attempted to piece together Reno's stilted speech without avail. Continuing to bite back the words and questions which threatened to spill accusingly from his mouth at any second, he swallowed hard and clenched his fists.

"There are thousands of laws and adages that we, as Turks, have to uphold. I'll be the first to admit that I've broken over half of them; I never could understand that crock of shit about not drinking during missions. I've seen things… and _done_ things which could make a grown man go insane. I hate to justify my weaknesses, but if my brain wasn't as pickled as it is then I'd be nuts by now."

A slight smile crept up on Cloud's face as he pondered whether or not Reno was being serious. However, as the Turk finally continued, any joviality was drained from his voice leaving it uncharacteristically solemn and grave.

"But the one which has always stuck in my mind has got to be one of the best pieces of advice I was ever given in my life; '_Know yourself; know your enemies better'_. That's stuck with me through thick and thin, and it's helped me to survive more than once. Knowing that little bit extra about who or what you're coming up against always gives you the upper hand in any fight.

"I know all about you, and what Hojo did to you… I knew all about your _real_ past before even you did," Reno admitted and Cloud retained his impassive aura which grew even grimmer at the announcement.

"But… one of the biggest challenges I've ever faced in my life was finding out about Valentine," he paused and scratched the back of his head. "The old Prez knew nothing about Hojo's experiments on your friend and so official records state that he died in a climbing accident up on Mount Nibel when checking out the reactor. It took a hell of a lot of digging to uncover the truth, I can tell you that for nothing. Even to this day I don't know everything, and something tells me I don't want to. 

"I can sure as hell tell you some things that you don't know about though," he whispered and Cloud glanced up at him curiously, trying to disguise his morbid curiosity.

"I know you see him as being some poor heart broken vamp who walks around talking about his long lost love who he was knocking off behind Hojo's back. Every now and then you can see that great big fuck off demon burst out of him like some kind of horror movie and tear a few monsters new ass-holes. But you don't know shit about what he _used_ to be like, before Hojo had his wicked way with him."

"He was a Turk," Cloud answered quietly wishing all of a sudden that he was able to plant his hands over his ears and stop the torrent of foul truth coming from the blue-suited man's mouth.

"That's not the half of it!" Reno exclaimed with a bark of laughter. "He wasn't _just_ a Turk! He was the damned _God_ _of Turks_!! He's got his face in every Turk manual with authors talking about what a fucking genius he was! I know you may see me as being a cold murdering bastard… but if you think _I'm_ bad…" Reno's voice trailed off and he shook his head.

"Just reading about some of the things he did would make me feel sick even now. He killed for the hell of it, even when it wasn't required. He _enjoyed_ it. According to a few diaries left behind by the old Prez, it even made _him_ grimace to think about it! Valentine would kill a kid if someone challenged him to. He'd shoot a mother before her family if he was bored, just so that he could get a smell of gun-power. 

"But if that wasn't bad enough… he was insane. The President's diaries talked about how although he admired Val for being such a wonderful Turk, he was scared shitless that one day he'd turn around and find the barrel of his favourite Turk's gun stuck in his face. The problem with your friend is that although he would obey an order without question, he was just as likely to turn around and kill the head of Shinra if he felt like it!" Reno's voice raised in volume and pitch as he continued until he was almost shouting at the leader of AVALANCHE. Suddenly becoming self-conscious of himself, Reno shoved his hands in his pockets and blew a scarlet bang from his eyes.

"Hojo's experiments… did something to him. I guess that you could say they turned him into a schizophrenic," he began in a quiet tone of voice once more. "The man you see is riddled with the guilt of what he did, while the great big fucking demon is the side of him which loves the feel of blood on his hands, regardless of who it belongs to."

Cloud's face had drained of all colour throughout Reno's speech until he stood little more than a blue eyed spectre next to his flame-haired companion. "Th, The demon… Chaos. I thought that was some kind of monster Hojo made through him?"

Reno shook his head, but his expression remained ambivalent. "Yeah, there is a monster but you're looking at the wrong thing. If you want to see the real devil then all you have to do is put the pair of them together. That _thing_, Chaos you call it is nothing more than the embodiment of everything he was in the Turks without the intelligence. To understand what your _friend_, "he spat disdainfully, "Is really like, then just picture that fucking monster with the intelligence of the vamp."

Cloud stopped and leant up against the sewer wall he had been walking steadily closer to as Reno spoke, knowing full well if he heard any more he'd probably collapse. "I, I just can't understand," he gasped hoarsely, his eyes glazed and staring. "Vincent hates what he was…"

"Yeah, and can you blame him? But no matter how much he dislikes what he used to be, it's still a part of him. It's all very well laying the past to rest, but when its about to jump up and rip your head off if you turn your back, I think it's still very real."

"So why have you suddenly started to have a problem with it now?" Cloud asked, the composure returning to his voice with a disturbing element of emotionlessness.

"He's been missing for the past four years," Reno shrugged in return, helping the blonde-haired warrior to stand. "And I have a terrible feeling about what Hojo did to him up in that HQ."

Cloud allowed himself to stand without support and once more they began to make their way through the twisting tunnel. 

"He's been screwed up ever since he became stuck in that demon form. He's in the body of his dark side, but with all the sorrow and remorse he felt in the past. Every now and then though, the twisted bastard he is comes through and takes charge. Even if it that is only for a few minutes, the effect is devastating."

"A… Are you saying that those people he killed in Sector Six are because… he became a Turk again…?" Cloud whispered and to his horror, he was answered with a nod.

"Exactly. And while he's trapped as he is I'd bet my flask of whiskey that the threat will become stronger. Who knows? If he's like this for too long, then maybe he'll revert back to how he used to be."

A long period of silence fell upon them.

"So what can we do?" Cloud questioned eventually and he was meant with a meaningless shrug.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" Reno snapped. "I'm not a fucking scientist. All I can recommend you do is find him as quickly as you can. If he's found a cure then that's great, but if he hasn't then you might want to prepare yourself for the kindest option."

"W, We couldn't… Kill Vincent!"

"So you'd let him kill countless others?"

Cloud sighed and looked back over his shoulder. In the distance, faint beams of light could be made out as the others trooped after himself and the unkempt Turk. He suddenly longed for the feel of Tifa's arms around his waist and her lips against his mouth just so that he could hide himself away in her love and ignore Reno's words. But with just the two of them so isolated and alone he had no choice but to face the vicious words as they slammed into him like tidal waves attempting to throw him from his feet. Vincent wasn't a murderer… Hojo did things to him and made him into a monster. It wasn't his fault that he killed those men…

… or was it…?

The metaphorical waves were becoming gradually stronger as he mulled over Reno's words in his mind. This couldn't be right… .

"Of course not," Cloud murmured. "But, I couldn't _murder_ him."

"From the reception Reeve was met with during his speech, I know about twenty million people who'd be willing to do it for you. And that's not including the people of all the other cities and towns all over the world. Your friend has gained quite a reputation, and I don't just mean in the Turks," Reno responded with raised eyebrows.

Cloud gave a dour nod and stopped suddenly as Reno ceased walking and looked down between his feet. Rolling up his sleeves, he bent down and stuck his hands into the mire, grimacing as he felt the slime ooze between his fingers. Eventually he gave a grunt as he felt something and clenched his digits around it. With a strained moan, he pulled upwards and with a loud slurp, a hidden trapdoor gave way from under the gunge.

"This is your stop," he said, his voice as icy and indifferent as it had been before his conversation with the ex-SOLDIER.

Cloud said nothing in return and instead looked up expectantly as he waited for the other members of AVALANCHE.

"A rat hole," Sephiroth commented as he stopped next to the others having lagged at the back of the line. "How appropriate."

Cid gave a snort of agreement but didn't so much as glance in the general's direction. "What's the time?" he asked to no one in particular.

Rude looked down at his watch. "3 am," he replied stoically.

"Perfect timing," Elena said, her voice echoing loudly in the pipeline. "The train is due any second now."

Tifa knelt down beside the hole and peered in, her eyes squinted as though she could pierce through the darkness. "How far is the fall?"

"Not much; a few metres perhaps," Reno muttered as he shone a torch down the new, lower tube. "The roof of the train will be about two metres under the ceiling. As soon as you drop down then get onto your bellies and crawl until you find a hatch."

Earnest nods came at his answer and seconds later they felt a rumbling beneath their feet.

"Perfect timing," Elena repeated.

Tifa walked over to the square hole first and sat down on the mud, her feet dangling into the blackness. "Good luck," Yuffie said with a bright smile.

An enormous gust of wind almost blew Tifa from her position as the roaring train exploded with noise beneath her. Her lips moved and her eyes were screwed up as she seemed to shout something, but her voice was lost in the breath taking rumble of the train as it burst through the tunnel below. 

Turning back to her target, Tifa pushed off from the ground and slipped into the hole. Cid took a running jump after her with both Sephiroth and Yuffie in tow until only Cloud remained with the Turks.

Pausing and thinking, his foot hanging over the hatch as he took a few seconds to gather his thoughts, Cloud turned back to Reno and yelled into his ear.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" He shouted as loudly as he possibly could, his throat tearing itself apart in objection.

"You don't," the Turk cried in return. "But do you really want to risk it?"

Cloud pulled back, his expression fixed with a cool resolution and his lips pressed together tightly. He gave a single nod before stepping back and falling after his comrades.

With a final blast of wind, the persistent clickety-clack and roaring scream of the engines faded away into nothing leaving the Turks to rid their eardrums of the ringing and partial deafness.

Sticking a finger into his left ear and wriggling it around, Reno shook his head painfully.

Elena blinked a few times and rubbed her temples, attempting to not even think about the impending headache resulting from the night's events. "Did you tell him?" she asked cryptically once they had straightened themselves out.

"Yeah," Reno nodded in return, his eyes fixed on the open pit.

"Do you think they'll take heed?" Rude queried and the leader shrugged.

"If they have brains they will, but who knows with them? It's not for us to worry about any more. All we need to concentrate on is getting back to the Offices and getting cleaned up before anyone catches us."

"Don't move!!"

"…Like that," he ended humourlessly.

"Damn…" Elena whispered as she raised her eyes and looked towards the direction they had originally entered the sewers through.

Across the twenty-five metre wide path there stood a line of two men thick blocking their way. Each of them held a rifle, all pointing at the heads of the three Turks.

From behind them, a floodlight exploded into light, bursting through the shadows with all the delicacy of a baseball-bat slicing a piece of paper. They felt their eyes burn from the vivid radiance and found that even after a few minutes illuminous blobs floated before their vision.

"Shit," breathed Rude as his eyes focused upon the small army of men. Each of them wore the now familiar uniform of the Office Military Police and even some with the insignia of the Special Patrol on their breast.

"I want a lawyer!" Reno yelled in return but his remark ended in a sick thud as the butt of a gun slammed into the small of his back. He fell to the ground, dazed and half-unconscious from sheer pain.

"Shut up, smart ass," ordered a cold voice from behind them. "Hold your hands behind your heads and march. One word and you'll each get a limb blown off until we have to drag you back to the Offices by your hair."

Reno bit his tongue so hard that he tasted blood in order to prevent himself from retorting. 

"Now move."

Rough hands yanked the back of his jacket and he was pulled to his feet and pushed forward, almost losing his balance again. He looked at his companions, and although their mouths were fixed in straight, impassive lines Elena's eyes glimmered with fear and Rude's were hidden behind his glasses.

A brown eye looked at him askance and he flashed Elena a comforting smile before falling into line, a thousand and one new curses fresh in his mind.

Cloud gasped in pain as he hit the roof of the tube-train on his stomach. Winded and stunned, it was several seconds before he learnt how to breathe once more. Gathering his wits about him, he dared to raise his head, the fear of some hanging object above catching him and snapping it off like a child flicks the head off a daisy fresh in his mind. There was no sight of his friends, and gritting his teeth he began to move across the slightly bowed metal roof.

There was no light in the dank tunnel, and relying on touch alone, his fingers felt along the middle of the train carriage until they met with a slightly raised surface. Pulling himself over to it, he proceeded to prise the hatch open, pausing every now and then to push his body as low as it would go to avoid overhanging pipes. 

Just as the tunnel opened out into the night ahead of him and the first few carriages of the train went through, the metal lifted and he slipped inside; the roaring wind still humming in his brain. He landed on the grimy floor of the train and rolled to absorb the impact. Remaining in a huddled position for a few seconds, he eventually raised his head to examine his surroundings.

The carriage was abandoned and he was very much alone. Seats lined the walls facing into the thin walkway which ran between them. Electric lighting flickered with every jolt the machine made whilst handholds swayed to and fro with the steady rocking. Satisfied of his isolation although not revelling in it, he stood and brushed himself. He pulled a face as his muscles protested at the unexpected movement and he picked old cigarette butts and candy wrappers from off his clothes.

Brushing himself down, he looked up wearily as one of the doors opened. The familiar form of Sephiroth stepped in and looked around warily as he had done before.

"Are you all right?" he asked when at ease.

Cloud nodded and looked behind him. "Where are the others?"

The door opened once more and this time the three others walked in. "We're here," Tifa said as she moved over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him delicately on the cheek and stepped back, sitting down on one of the padded seats.

Cloud sat next to her while Yuffie and Cid slumped down opposite them. Sephiroth walked nonchalantly over to one of the windows at the other end and gazed out wistfully at the stars. Due to their distance from the city centre, the artificial haze cast out by the street lamps and homes had lessened dramatically allowing a faint view of the heavens. He felt himself overjoyed for just this slight glance. It was a symbol of their flee from danger and oppression and now it was almost at an end.

Tifa rested her head on her lover's chest and allowed her lids to half close contentedly. Cid gratefully pulled out a pack of cigarettes which had only been slightly crushed and lit up, much to Yuffie's repulsion.

"The next time you guys invite me to come and stay for a few days, remind me that Shera's cooking isn't _that_ bad," he grinned after taking a drag and Cloud chuckled to himself, too tired to speak.

Sephiroth looked back at the four friends and shook his head, a slight smile playing on his lips. _Perhaps this destiny thing won't be as bad as I thought… ._ He mused silently as he heard the pilot's gruff laugh and a scream of horror from Yuffie.

"Chewing gum!" she cried in disgust. "I've got _chewing gum_ on my new jeans…??"


	19. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 19 'United and Alone'

Night encircled the land in a celestial sphere that stretched on for further than any mortal could dare to dream. Stars hung in the blackness like flakes within a snow-globe, frozen in place for the rest of eternity. Like the violent swirl which it must have taken to put the silver torches in their places, a turbulent surge was battling within the soul of the creature as it finally landed. 

It was suffering from exhaustion and a hunger more potent than any could ever realise. He'd been travelling across the world, only stopping when he could physically manage no more. And even then he had pushed it.

He fell to his hands and knees, gritting his teeth against the inevitable pain that gripped him as a result of ceasing his flight. It washed over him, shattering his thoughts and sucking the breath from his lungs like a tidal wave. His fingers grabbed the grass that grew under him, and in his agony he tore it from the roots leaving the moist soil to face the elements without its fauna for protection. When it finally ceased its terrible reign over his body, it faded away leaving a throbbing ache in his muscles. He didn't attempt to stand; he couldn't even feel his legs and walking on them would be like trying to control a phantom limb or imaginary extremity. 

Instead he remained in his crouched position, his head hanging wearily between slumped shoulders. His eyes were closed and more than anything else, he longed for sleep. His body was tired, but his heart and soul were both on the brink of collapse. How easy it would have been to slip back into that coffin; how easy it would be for him at that moment just to say 'screw the world. I've had my fill and its not a pleasant place' and renounce it. To forget everything that had happened to fall back into an eternity of nightmares. It was what he deserved after all… . 

After a long rest, he raised his head and looked out to the landscape before him. It truly was a sight for sore eyes. A vast lake stretched on before him, its surface smooth and unblemished; turned silver by the moon. It was as though someone had placed a huge mirror upon the floor of the sheltered and hidden valley. A breeze, so slight and gentle that it didn't inspire a single ripple upon the mirror blew through the round valley. It carried to his sensitive nose an oddly familiar smell. One of flowers, dew and somehow sunsets. It reminded him vividly of _that_ time when he had been human. 

__

Such a long, long time ago… . 

It also reminded him of _that _place ten or perhaps eleven years ago when… .

He shook his head. That was a memory he'd sought to relinquish. Over all of his sins and time upon this planet that had perhaps been the most insightful. He shuddered at the fleeting images which invaded his brain and thrusted them back. It didn't matter now; it was in the past. He focused his mind upon the scenery before him in order to drive the unpleasant images from his mind.

Still the soft zephyr whirled and washed over him like the delicately shifting water which lay sublimely and perfectly before him. It was so, so wonderful. He would have almost thought it a dream. But no, none of his dreams were like this. They were full of blood, guilt and terrible, terrible memories. This was a haven. The only place in the world, no, _universe_ where his refuge could be found. Perhaps that was why he was so afraid? Tormented by inner demons for so long, it was alien and frightening to him to suddenly feel so isolated and lonely. But somehow he wasn't… .

A look of morbid curiosity overcoming his normally expressionless features, he crawled forward in order to look down into the mirror-like lake. He recalled his past realisation that he had never actually taken the time to look upon himself in his demonic form. Here, hidden by vast screens of pine trees to his back and mountains which stretched on forever all around the unblemished quicksilver he was safe to take his first gaze. He was secreted away from the world and able to do what no man should ever have to do; look at his darkness personified. 

A few centimetres from the edge of the grass where it cut out suddenly and dropped into a tiny cliff to the water he faltered. His arms and legs refused to budge no matter how much his sick wondering urged them on. He could almost hear his unhealthy interest yelling and screaming at his unco-operating physical shell and telling it to hurry up and move. Succumbing to the gruesome callings he dared to move first his right hand, then his left. Finally his knees followed and as he swallowed forcefully, his face tilted down to peer upon the gargoylic visage of depravity.

Red eyes met red, backed by the canvas of the night sky both above and below. A demon, a hellish demon stared back at Vincent Valentine; but it was not the right one.

This diabolical demon had skin which was too white and long raven hair that was too black. A frame of red bandages and the high neck of a crimson cape sat at the top and bottom of the ghostly mask. His expression shifted to one of disgust and in an act of anger, his claw stretched down and viciously swiped the water, the gold points tearing through the silver skin. He pushed up from the grass into a standing position, falling over almost as soon as he had come to his feet. Weariness was still playing heavily upon him despite his determination to look away from the monster in human form he had become. 

Resigning himself to simply shuffling back from the water; he assumed a slumped, sitting position, his arms resting on his knees with his hands hanging limply before his chest. His cape splayed out behind him as though he'd sat in a pool of blood which leaked back from beneath the ebony folds of his hair. 

The cascade of scarlet mimicked in perfect irony the wall of pure, silvery froth which spewed from the side of the mountain wall on the far side of the lagoon to where he sat. He found his eyes drawn inevitably towards it. It was the only source of noise and movement in the lagoon aside from himself although he sat as stationary as possible. All was still; deathly still.

He felt almost as if someone had taken a picture of this divine image and he had somehow walked into it, tainting it with his remorseful presence. The mark of his anger had somehow remained upon the water surface as the ripples in the liquid continued to emanate out from his point of contact as though he were still dangling his claw into it. Shifting his stance slightly so as not to disturb the calmness, he clutched the golden gauntlet of his left hand to his chest with an unconscious guilt.

There was no reason for him to feel so reluctant to shatter the silence. The aura of the place was so utterly unrestricted and peaceful, he could scream and still nothing would mind. Here he could be free; here he could sob or whoop for joy and the world would smile upon him as a parent would gaze fondly upon a happy child. There were no feelings of stifling inhibition or oppression; it was perfect. Despite that… he still couldn't help but feel like the flaw in the diamond.

He stared down at the tufts of grass sprouting up from between his feet, his knees bent up against his chest. So wondrously green it was almost painful to look upon them. Each blade was like a shard of emerald jutting lazily from the earth with a self-acknowledged beauty. It was rare for anyone to even notice the lagoon let alone set foot in it. The plants and rocks moulded to please themselves, achieving a silent perfection for them only to see. And of course the couple. 

The soft and highly unintrusive breeze persisted to wash over him gently, lapping away his troubles with every delicate push. It was so light that even his sensitive hearing had ceased paying attention to it. That was, of course, until the voice came…

"………Vin…..cent…………………. . ……………."

His head jerked with a startling suddenness, his neck whipping up like a bullet from a gun firing into the sky. Perhaps his ears were playing tricks on him. Only a day or so before he had been questioning his sanity after all… .

"………Vincent………….. ."

No! That was real! This was no trick… . This wasn't the mirage of a dehydrated man in a desert; it was as real as he was, as real as the jewelled, precious surroundings. He shifted his position, sitting back on his heels in order to look to the source of the zephyr. Naturally he knew its origin without even closing his eyes and feeling the tender kisses of the air upon his face. There was only one thing he knew which carried such a seductive and enchanting scent of meadows and summer.

"Luc… , " he whispered in response to the almost silent song of the delicate element.

He held his breath and trained his ears on the phantom voice but was unsatiated. It did not come again and he felt his spirits rise and plummet in less than a second. _Perhaps it had been my imagination after all... . _

But still that sweet smell drifted across the lake towards him, the cave the place of its birth. He'd come here for a purpose. Even if he had indeed been chasing ghosts his entire life, there was still a goal to fulfil. Now it was time... . 

Finding strength from a deep source, Vincent pushed off from the ground and stood firmly, not even trembling or showing a glimmer of his previous fragility. His fists clenched tightly by his sides and he stared out over the lake towards the foamy silver cascade. 

"Wait… just a little longer," he murmured as he walked to the edge of the lake and dived in.

The cold quicksilver wrapped around him and the endless darkness below called to him with a song so delicious he was tempted to simply keep on going further down and down. But another melody now called to him, so much stronger than any death could afford and he broke the surface still facing his objective. He kicked back and his arms ploughed powerfully through the water pushing him along at a speed beyond that of any normal human. The ripples formed by his movement splayed out behind him in a vast fan, touching either side of the lake before slipping into obscurity.

Two thirds of the way to his destination, he swerved to the small grassy cliff to the left of the falls and pulling himself out, dripping silver tinted water onto the lush grass as he stood. He shook his head ferally, the liquid spraying out from his clothes and hair and smattering across the ground. Brushing himself down in some absent gesture, he slowly started to walk forward, gaining confidence with every step until he had speeded up into a quick stride taking long distances with every footfall. It came as no surprise that he would reach the curtain of water barely five minutes since pulling up from the lake. Again he hesitated, but this time it was barely noticeable.

A flicker of an eyelid; a stride cut short. No, he had been right before. He _had_ come a long way. He had travelled so far and sucked himself of so much energy that the only insanity to be found would be in the decision to turn back. And so he put his hands above his head as though to lift the water of the falls by force alone and stepped through.

The immense roaring and pressure of the cascade almost burst his eardrums, but in a fraction of a second it died down to nothing. The acoustics of the place he now stood somehow muffled the sounds of the outside world so well they were barely audible. In fact, aside from his own breathing and heartbeat, the dripping of the holy water from his clothes was the only interruption. 

At first he squinted; his eyes so used to the dark night found even the soft and unintrusive glow emitted by the crystalline walls painful. He blinked a few times in order to clear his vision and took a step forward. How long had it been since he'd stepped on this glass-like floor…? When was the last time he'd swallowed his damned pride to find Her only to have his hopes dashed like ocean waves upon a shore?

But as he took a few more faltering steps he felt different. The cave itself felt different. The delicacy of the spindling stalagmites and stalactites which had existed for so long now they had fused to form elegant pillars which stretched from the floor to vaulted ceiling glowed with a lifelike pulse. The air seemed heavy with the scent of cornfields and meadow flowers. And as he stepped forward through the crystalline corridor and into the amphitheatre of lucid rock he saw why.

"Hello Vincent…" she whispered, her voice which although not above a whisper carried so well through the fresh air. "I've been waiting."

Vincent smiled in returned. It was not the smile of irony nor bitter contempt so common to his dour features. It was the smile of genuine happiness and joy which had been missing from his lips for so long. _Too_ long. "I know you have, my love," he breathed lightly. "I have too."

He walked across the room, his metal shoes clipping on the glassy floor with every step, images of himself reflected a thousand times in the facetted and yet somehow smooth floor and roof. He cringed as he paused a few metres from her and an image invaded his brain.

__

"L, Lucrecia…? Is that you??

"Vincent!

"O, Oh my god! Lucrecia I can't believe…! I, Is it… I mean is it really you??

"No! Stay back!

"……Lucrecia…?

"J, Just stay away from me Vincent… please… ."

A flash of pain crossed Vincent's face and he turned away, his eyes closed tightly as he sought to rid his brain of the vicious memory.

Lucrecia's hand lifted up towards him. She was sat as he remembered her in exactly the same position as she had been those many years before during the Meteor Crisis; her knees pressed together and her feet pointing to one side. She supported herself with her left elbow locked and her hand resting on the slightly raised platform of crystal at the head of the limpid cavern. Her right hand lay limply on her bent knees on top of the soft white folds of the angelic dress she wore. However, her normally grief stricken, delicate features seemed so much more content as though the weight of the universe had been lifted from her shoulders. Her hazel eyes glittered in the wonderful way they always had done on the past, and her full lips were pulled upwards in a faint smile.

At his hesitation though she reached up toward him with her right hand, her eyes suddenly pleading. A frown marred her expression as she attempted to read his thoughts.

"What's wrong, my love?" she asked in a light whisper.

He looked into her soft eyes with his burning red ones and felt humbled once more in her presence. He shook his head and in a long-forgotten gesture, ran his right hand idly through his hair to brush it back off his face.

"I… I'm just so scared that you'll leave me again," he breathed and a tear fell from her face.

"No… I won't leave you Vincent, because I never have," she responded enigmatically.

He lifted his face once more, a puzzled expression crumpling his forehead beneath the crimson bandages. "I don't understand…"

"You spoke with Sephiroth," she started as she began to rise, a flash of remorse and worry flickering on her visage. "I listened to you talking with him, and what he said was true, Vincent. I have been following you… watching you ever since that time…-"

"I do not wish to talk of it," Vincent intervened firmly.

Standing up, she gave a single nod of understanding but still held her hand out towards him. He looked at it for a long time as though expecting her to snatch it away as soon as he moved. However, as he slowly lifted his hand to touch it, a smile once more touched her lips. Feeling a wash of emotions overcome him, Vincent took it and pulled her close to him. 

They both dissolved into tears as they held one-another with a feverish desire they knew could never be fulfilled. Lucrecia buried her head in the midnight-black locks of his hair as he held the back of her head and pressed it against his heart. He kissed the top of her head over and over again, the soft scent of her hair filling his nostrils and making him long for the fragile object he held more than he ever had before. Tears streamed down his face from closed eyes and his breaths came raggedly from behind the sobs he fought back threatening to reduce him to a weeping wreck.

"Oh God, Luc," he gasped passionately. "Why us? Why did it have to be us?"

"I, I don't know Vincent," she whispered tearfully in return. "I just don't know…"

They held each other for a while longer before eventually parting; still holding each other's hands. They gazed into each other's eyes for a long time before Vincent's face became unexpectedly thoughtful and he turned back to the cave mouth.

"What's wrong?" Lucrecia asked gently.

"I have been here for over an hour," Vincent murmured in response. "And yet I have not changed back into… into that demon."

He heard Lucrecia give a sigh and as he righted himself to look back upon her divine frame he was puzzled to see another, broader smile on her face.

"What's so amusing?"

"You will not change back, Vincent," she answered and Vincent's mouth fell open in stupefied silence. "At least you won't with my presence."

"B, But… how??" he exclaimed once he found his voice.

"I am a part of the Planet now. True, I once contained much Jenova, but with her passing I am kept in a physical form by the sheer will of the Lifestream alone."

"Why?"

Lucrecia avoided eye contact with him as she seemed to find sudden, false interest in a part of the floor to her left. He squeezed her hands tenderly to urge her on and she turned back to him.

"Because… I asked it to, and it granted my wish," she replied unrevealingly after a few seconds.

"Why would you want to return here, to this hell, though?" Vincent pressed with an unhidden curiosity and irritated confusion. "Is there a reason, or did you simply wish to speak with me?"

"I, I can't… really explain," she forced out eventually. She dropped her hands from his grip and sat back down on the platform she had been half sitting on during his entrance. "There are higher forces in this… forces beyond our comprehension."

Vincent sat down beside her feet and looked up at her face, once more taking her hands in his. "Tell me more… please, Luc," he begged quietly and she nodded apprehensively.

"I, I can tell you… what I know and what I understand," she stuttered warily as though fearful of the result of divulging such information. He only blinked slowly in return, his ears tuned wholly to her voice.

"I spoke with the planet before I came to see you in Midgar," she confessed hesitantly. "I knew what Hojo did to you up in the HQ but not the purpose. I couldn't bear the thought of you trapped inside the body of that _monster_ so I pleaded to the Lifestream for an answer. And I got one."

He looked expectantly up at her, but again she avoided all eye contact with him. 

"From what I was told, Mako is the only thing powerful enough to suppress a force such as Jenova for she is what induced these changes upon you. Hojo was well aware of the shape changing properties Jenova had when he experimented on you back in Nibelheim all those years ago. Jenova chose what she would turn you into, and everything which you hated about yourself, your willingness to kill, your temper and hatred were all used as the driving forces behind what you call Chaos.

"When I came to see you and I left you to transform in Midgar, it was for a purpose."

Vincent's breath caught in his throat and he was certain his heart stopped as any warmth he had previously felt was sucked from his soul. "You… _meant_ for me to murder those men?" he spoke hoarsely. "You actually… _wanted_ me to tear them apart and end their lives??"

A tear ran from Lucrecia's eye and down her cheek to fall on her lap. "I'm so, so sorry," she whispered. "I didn't want to, you have to believe me Vincent! I didn't want to!"

"Then… Why??"

Lucrecia's head lowered and her hair hung over her face, shielding its porcelain beauty from his eyes. "You had to know," she said quietly. "You had to understand that Chaos isn't just some homicidal beast born from Hojo's experiments. It's _you_ Vincent. It's everything that makes you a Turk and so much more. It's the dark side of you which gives you nightmares and makes you believe that you committed so many sins, whereas in truth it was always me."

"Please don't speak like that…"

Lucrecia's head shook violently and her hair whipped around her visage. "No, Vincent. Let me explain… ."

He fell into a guilty silence as she continued.

"You need to know and understand that because of the cure that the Planet has endowed upon me," she swallowed forcefully as she ran her fingers through his soft raven locks. "It was imperative that you knew the reality behind your transformations otherwise the truth could have stolen up behind you and dragged the side of you I love so much into the shadow.

"I admit that I brought you out to face those thugs, knowing full well that you would kill them. However, the final fight against Cloud outside of Tifa's bar was your own doing. Can you see that the awful Turk side of you that I tried to destroy so badly is already breaking through?"

Tears began to flow once more from Vincent's eyes, but he said nothing as the only thing he felt he could ever love confessed her darkest knowledge to him. Knowledge of herself and knowledge of him. He had realised what she had intended for him to do, crouched on all fours like a wounded dog to lick his wounds as he contemplated the cause of his actions in the alley behind Tifa's Seventh Heaven. But to hear them come from her… . To hear such heinous secrets spill forth from such an angelic mouth was almost soul destroying.

"I failed to take that side away from you, Vincent. When we were together in Nibelheim those many summers ago I longed to take you away from the life of murder and deceit. I was like some pathetic crusader attempting to shine a light where my own will was even weaker. I am the one who ended up destroying you because of my lack of resilience. I could have said no to Hojo but I didn't. I could have just walked away with you and together we could have denied the sinful predicaments our lives had become. But you… you were strong. You were prepared to walk away and never look back but I couldn't… ." her voice trailed off and the tears began to flow once more from both their eyes.

"Which is why I am so… _happy_."

Vincent's head turned to her swiftly as he detected the odd change in her voice. Where her words had been so sorrowful and full of regret, now he could almost feel the aura of joy and elation flow from her like the heavenly light which surrounded her being.

"You are… Happy?" he repeated in bewilderment and she nodded in return, the smile once more upon her precious features.

"Yes, happy," she smiled with a sigh. She reached out and ran a hand down the side of his face. He shivered with pleasure at the feel of that longed for contact and he placed his own hand over hers, pressing it against his skin.

"I'm happy because _I_ am the one who can save you," she exhaled and although he didn't understand her words, he found himself lost in the exhilaration of her voice. "The presence of the Planet is needed to destroy the actions of Jenova," she began once more, gazing fondly upon his face, his eyes still closed tightly. "_I_ am the embodiment of the Planet whilst I exist on the surface, but as soon as you leave me you'll return once more to the rhythm Hojo instilled upon you.

"I cannot walk with you forever. Giving me a body is tiring the Lifestream which is why I do not have long."

"Tell me more…" Vincent breathed as tingles ran up his spine from her constant touch.

"The solution is that I coalesce with you, Vincent. We become joined finally. I walk into your body and our souls merge to become one. You shall remain in control; however the changes shall cease and Chaos will be no more."

Vincent's eyes opened wide and he stared up at her in shock. Eventually a smile broke out on his face and he threw back his head to give an exulted laugh. It rang through out the cavern, the glass structures which surrounded them ringing in the delight of his happiness. His soul felt finally free! Hojo's stains upon him would be no more as the hideous changes would fade into the nothingness from whence they came. He could forget finally the impending agony of his changes; never worry about letting himself get too angry or too sad, allowing the blackness to consume him. Freedom..! _Freedom_..! He'd almost forgotten what the word sounded like!

"Freedom," he gasped in wonder, enjoying the syllables as they seemed to roll of his tongue. It sounded so _right_ to his ears after the oppression of the decades before. Somehow everything seemed perfect; all the tortures he'd faced, all of the nightmares he'd lived became worthwhile, if only to feel the elation that word brought to him when said after so long in captivity!

"F, For how long?" he asked excitedly.

"Indefinitely," Lucrecia beamed back at him.

Vincent's eyes narrowed in puzzlement as he frowned at her, his expression lessening dramatically. "No… I, I mean how long will you remain within me for?"

Lucrecia's face fell as suddenly as she stared hauntingly back at him. "Th, That's… what I meant," she answered and he stood up suddenly throwing back her hands.

"You mean, the only cure… is for me to _kill_ you?? To draw you into myself and suck away that life of yours I have worshiped since the day I was put upon this planet to subdue my own abnormalities??" he exclaimed, his face darkening in anger.

"I'm already dead!" she snapped in return, standing up and taking a few steps towards him. "Look at me!!"

She held out her hands either side of her and Vincent paused. Despite his attempts to ignore it, that ghostly, iridescent light still glowed around her. Her skin had always been pale, but now it was like bleached parchment. Dark smudges like black shadows hung beneath her eyes and her fragile form seemed so much weaker. "This is how I was when the Jenova claimed me," she whispered. "This… this _monster_ you see before you is no better than the one you turn into when you're emotionally disturbed. The only difference is that I must remain like this for the rest of eternity. I cannot return fully to the Lifestream just as I cannot live like any normal person. I must stay here like a typecast wraith from a romantic ghost story and haunt these caves. I'm slowly going out of my mind through sheer ineptness and I hide myself away from those who attempt to reach me. 

"I contemplate my sins every day just as you have, and I have finally been offered a release. Would you deny me this solution?" she ended passionately, tears falling freely from her sunken face.

"Of course I wouldn't," Vincent wept as he sank to his knees. "But I killed you once! I can't destroy the existence you have left, no matter how feeble you may think it is."

"I thought you loved me."

"I do!"

"Then do this for me, Vincent!" she cried and the ex-Turk's eyes lowered to stare emotionlessly at the floor.

"If our souls… join," he began falteringly. "Does that mean that when I finally die… you will cease to exist at all?"

"I, I don't know," she replied in teary truthfulness. "And I don't _care_. I just want to leave this place. Oblivion would be a warm emancipation to this."

"But it wouldn't be for me… . I always held high the hope that when I finally passed away I would meet you in a better place. If I thought that you wouldn't be there, then I would long for that nothingness with you."

"But don't you see?" she said in exasperation. "How I am now… I cannot return to the Planet at all. Would you not rather that in our last times on this Earth we were together in one form or apart for eternity?"

Vincent slumped down against a pillar and held his head in his hands. "I, I just don't know about anything any more," he murmured softly to himself.

Lucrecia looked at him sympathetically before walking over. "The two sides of you; the side which is Chaos and the side I have always known and loved will become as one once again. It is your job to ensure that you have a balance of the two otherwise you may become the murderer you once were. I shall try my hardest to suppress the 'Chaos' and in that way I shall redeem myself. Even if I _do_ go to emptiness and you to the heaven you deserve so much, it can be with the knowledge that I have had my sins cleansed."

Vincent remained in his position of overwhelming confusion for many more minutes before raising his head. "I wish I could find my own retribution," he confided softly and she gave a single nod.

He pushed up from the glassy floor and stood in a shaky standing position, his back pressed up against the pillar behind him. "And by having your personality, your spirit and your energy drained from you… you will have atoned?"

She gave a single, slow nod. "It shall allow me to do that which I failed at thirty-nine years ago. I only ever wanted to take you away from the Turks and hopefully destroy your coldness and murderous ways. By becoming one with you, I can do that."

For a long time only silence existed within in the cave. Heavy, thick and smothering silence which weighed down upon the couple as they stared down at the glass beneath their feet. The rushing sound of the waterfall which had once been nothing, now seemed to become gradually louder in their minds as the world around them faded away into meaningless images. 

Vincent's expression became hard and impassive and he did not so much as glance up at the trembling form before him. Kill… Lucrecia…? His friends and even she denied his part in her original downfall… but if he were to go through with this then there could be no doubt. Not only would be rob her of her presence, he would steal her existence. What could justify such an act? What could possibly be the reasoning behind conforming to her will…?

"…Love…" Lucrecia breathed and Vincent looked up at her, startled at first but slowly acknowledging. 

"I know," he said in return. "But… I don't know if I could let myself go through with it."

"You don't even have to do anything, Vincent. If I wished to I could simply do it now; I could have done it the second you stepped foot in the cave but I chose not to. Going through with such an action without your consent would add upon me yet another sin and I could not enter you soiled so. By isolating myself I have had much time to contemplate my behaviour in the past, with this as the only option left to me. Betraying you and doing something against your will would make me little more than a selfish woman only wishing to rid herself of past crimes."

Vincent gave no move or verbal confirmation of her words and instead looked to the cave entrance. "How… long will it take?" he asked uncertainly, forcing his words out with obvious difficulty.

Although he did not turn to face her he could feel the happiness flow from her delicate frame at his interest. "I don't know," she replied. "I'm not even sure of what I'm meant to do… but something tells me that everything'll be okay."

Vincent spun quickly to face her, his blood-red cape whipping around his heels at such an unexpected motion. "Before… we do this, may I ask you something?"

"Yes, of course. What is it?"

"It's… about the Vigilante," he began, immediately noticing the shock which washed over her features. "What is it? Why is it here and what is its purpose?"

Lucrecia inhaled deeply and closed her eyes in thought. "Not even the Planet knows," she said, exhaling her held breath slowly. "But from what I have been told the creature is slowly killing it."

"It's killing the Planet? Then it is not of the Lifestream's making?"

Lucrecia's expression became troubled and her eyes seemed to focus upon objects which he could not see. "**There are no answers**," she spoke eventually, and when she did her speech took on an odd undertone as though she were talking with the voices of many others at the same time. He found himself reminded disturbingly of the Vigilante. 

"**It is poisoning us, taking what is not it's in the name of a false cause. There are no answers**," she repeated finally. 

To Vincent's horror, her eyes rolled back and her knees buckled. He leapt across the short distance between them and caught her, gently supporting her weight and pulling her closer to himself. 

"L, Luc? Are you all right?" he questioned fearfully.

He felt her head nod, lying against his chest. "I'm fine," she whispered after a terrifying pause. "But… I'm growing weaker. Have you made your final decision? I… I don't have… long now…"

"Yes," Vincent murmured. 

"I… love you Vincent Valentine…"

"I love you too Lucrecia!"

Her eyes fluttered and shut fully as her form went limp in his arms, her head falling back heavily as she slipped into a divine state of unconsciousness; a smile on her fragile features. 

"I said yes!!" he cried out, his eyes darting over the chamber as though he could answer the Earth itself. "Just a few more minutes! Please!!"

No answer came except the cold echoing of his own voice as it reflected off the crystalline structures around him to further his torment. His face twisted by anger, he threw back his head and let forth an ungodly roar worthy of Chaos as the pain of a sword thrusting through his chest screamed in his body. Still he held onto her.

He fell to his knees, unable to support them both as pure agony tore up and down his spine sapping his energy and mocking him in his distress. Still he held onto her.

As he opened his tightly shut eyes to look upon her angelic face he was shocked to see that he could now see his own palm through the back of her head as she faded away. "N, No! Lucrecia! Don't go!!" he gasped, but his words went unnoticed.

He stifled another cry of suffering as it seemed to come from the very depth of his soul itself. The woman in his grasp completely gone, he crossed his arms over his chest in an effort to prevent whatever was bursting from his chest from escaping and stumbled to his feet. He took a few steps and smashed into one of the glass walls, his feet unwilling to co-operate to his screaming mental requests. 

He battled back the pain and lurched towards the cave exit. He needed air and the soft caress of the night on his face to rid him of this searing anguish. He needed his friends and he needed her; but she was gone now. Drawn in to feed his inner demons so that he could continue his pointless existence.

As he pushed out of the waterfall and onto the grassy bank he leant back onto the surface of the mountain which circled the lake before him.

"Luc…" he wept, as he sank to his knees and put his face in his hands. "I changed my mind… don't… don't ever leave me…"

With a final cry of distress, he fell forward and into the lake with a loud and ungraceful splash; swallowed up by the stars as they glittered peacefully on the surface. The moon observed with silent sorrow from her pearly seat. 

It began to rain. 

Cloud held his hand up to Tifa and she took it gratefully, scrambling up the sheer boulder and half pulled by her aide. That done, the ex-SOLDIER turned back with Cid at his side, and the two men knelt and stretched down to meet the awaiting grasp of Sephiroth. The general took their help without complaint and agilely climbed up to stand with the others on the small cliff. 

Cloud brushed his knees down idly and looked over at the place they had once regarded as home. In the early dawn light, Midgar looked like something from illustrations he'd seen in science fiction books. The golden light reflected off the exposed metallic surfaces and the early morning heat made hazes as it evaporated frost on the ground. It almost appeared as though the yellow disc was floating ethereally in a distant mirage. If he were standing anywhere near the Correl Desert he would have simply believed it to be little more than that. However, the biting chill of the night and memories of their flee still burned in his mind and dispelled any fond or dreamlike visions.

He felt a nudge and noticed Tifa moving to stand beside him in his peripheral vision.

"It looks so far away," she murmured wistfully. "I can't believe that only a few weeks ago I was tending bar and thinking about order forms…"

"…And now we're worrying about our lives," Sephiroth ended glumly.

Cloud pulled his eyes away from the city and looked over his shoulder at the silver-haired man. "Surely we're safe now?" he inquired with a frown. "I mean we're out of Midgar; we've left behind any stories of our misadventures."

Sephiroth shook his head in response and his aqua eyes drifted to the horizon where the first rays of sun were peering over and flooding the landscape. "News travels fast and far. Your friend, the vice-mayor spoke of how the public wished to alert other cities and towns about the danger of the demon. The death of civilians by a wild creature is one thing, but the escape of people wanted for something as extreme as a death penalty may be viewed as something so much worse. Perhaps even the enormity of our threat shall surpass that of the monster's."

Cid lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply from it resisting the urge to lapse into a coughing fit as the icy morning air attacked his lungs. "If you don't mind me sayin'," he started regardless of the answer to his rhetorical question. "But isn't that a bit pessimistic? I mean sure people wanna see us hung, drawn and quartered, but as soon as they find out we've left the city then maybe things'll die down?"

Cloud sighed and looked down at his feet, the Ultima Weapon held out before him with the tip of its blade resting on the rock they stood upon. "No," he said eventually. "Sephiroth's right. Even if he isn't then we can't take that risk. We haven't spent all night getting away from that damned place only to be dragged back. We'd do well to keep a low profile for now."

"So where do we go then?" Tifa asked quietly as though suddenly fearful of someone overhearing them. "We can't just wander around avoiding all contact with people for the rest of our lives, can we?"

"We can always go to Wutai," Yuffie offered with a hint of happiness and pride. "Whatever goes on across the world we'll always be welcome there. My dad runs the place and he'll know we're innocent."

"We have to think of all possibilities," Cloud urged gently. "We don't want to be too casual, but we can't be too cautious either."

"There's Rocket Town too," Cid stated. "It's the same as Wutai when you think about it safety-wise. A lot of people don't even think of it as bein' a proper town and with me as their Captain I'll make sure we get a good reception. And I can tell you one thing, if I have to wait much longer for a decent cup of damned tea, I'm gonna start bustin' asses!"

"You miss Shera then?" Tifa smiled and Cid looked momentarily taken aback.

"Miss that slow, old clapped-out, good for nuthin', technician?" he blurted out. His horrified expression elapsed into an unmistakable grin and he nodded. "Yeah, I guess I am. 'Sides, Alicia hasn't seen her daddy for a month and she's probably forgotten all about me!"

Yuffie giggled. "Cid, I really don't think that anyone could forget about you. Anyway, your house probably stinks of so much nicotine that it would be impossible!"

The couple laughed and the pilot looked at her with an almost sorrowful expression. "Don't think so," he said with an upset tone of voice. "That dumb-ass Shera won't let me smoke in the house!"

The laughter grew louder until only Sephiroth remained standing impassively on a slight overhang which formed a ledge on the cliff. He blinked slowly; eventually using his hand to shield his eyes from the ever-bright light as it grew more intolerable over time. The laughter slowly died down, and no longer feeling out of place he spun on his heel and strode towards the next climb in their journey. The side of the hill had been stepped with occasional flat parts broken by rocks walls. The one he now stood before appeared to be no taller than two metres with only a gentle slope leading upwards after it. Ensuring the firmness of the Masamune in his belt, he leapt up and grabbed the lip of the ledge by his fingers. Grunting through exertion he pulled himself up and stood upon the final obstacle.

"What can you see?" Cloud called up to him as Sephiroth glanced over the crest of the hill. 

"A town," came the eventual answer. "I'm not sure, but I believe its Kalm."

Tifa nodded. "Kalm's the only place near here. The next village isn't for another few miles east and there's no point in stopping there."

Cloud gestured in agreement and stared up the minor cliff, thinking hard for a few minutes. "We need to rest and stock up on supplies."

"Do you know where we're going yet?" Yuffie questioned curiously and the leader of AVALANCHE scratched the back of his head thoughtfully.

"We need to get to Junon."

"And from there?"

Cloud shrugged. "We don't know what the situation will be like. We can guess that the world is going to be on red-alert, searching for the 'renegade murderers AVALANCHE', but we can't be certain."

"Worst case?"

"We get our chocobos and take the long route to Wutai. That way we'll miss out any towns and avoid contact with people all together."

Cid pulled a face. "The seas under the Gongaga peninsula are dangerous though. It was bad enough taking the Tiny Bronco down there, let alone those damned birds. They'd throw us and leave us to drown the second a storm kicked in."

Cloud sighed.

"Best case?" Tifa asked.

"We go to Kalm and see what kind of reception we get. If people don't give us a second glance then we buy what we need to and get our chocobos from the farm on the Grasslands. From there we head across the swamp and to Junon to catch a boat." Cloud finished and glanced around the others.

"So what's the most likely thing to happen?" said Tifa as she leant up against the wall Sephiroth perched upon silently.

Again Cloud shrugged. "We'd be fools to try and predict. Let's just find out what we can. We'll go to Kalm and try to get news on what's happening back in Midgar. Who knows? Maybe we'll even hear if Vincent's passed through?"

Yuffie's head lifted slightly at the sound of her friend's name, but she hastily turned back to the alien-esque city behind her. "Whatever we're gonna do, we'd better do it fast. The city'll be waking up now and when people start to travel and move around, so will the news."

"The child is right," Sephiroth agreed from above them. Yuffie frowned at being referred to as a kid but held her tongue to save the insult for another day. "We are only condemning ourselves by talking about hypothetical possibilities when we could just as easily be discovering them for ourselves."

Cid nudged Cloud and leaned slightly towards the ex-SOLDIER. "Did you understand what the hell he just said?"

Cloud grinned as he moved over to the small cliff. He linked his hands together and looked back to the rest. "C'mon, I'll boost you up."

"Wake up."

There was a loud smack and Reno's eyes snapped open, his head jerked to one side as something struck his cheek. He gave a snarl of pain and blinked to rid his eyes of sleep. They eventually focused upon a man wearing a deep purple uniform stood before him, his face annoyingly close and blocking half his vision. Reno pulled a face.

"Ever heard of breath mints?" he snapped irritably and his comment was met with another punch on the face.

He attempted to pull up his hand to rub the now sore spot and give his tormentor a sign of his annoyance but found his hands held tightly behind him. He turned away from the uniformed man before him and glanced over his shoulder. He was sat upon a hard wooden seat; his arms bound tightly with thin rope weaved around the spindles of the chair-back. An experimental yank illustrated that the many knots in the bonds were unmistakably tight. If he dared pull any more than he'd lose all feeling in his fingers; in such a circumstance he couldn't afford to do that.

Fully awake and now fully aware of his compromising state, the flame-haired Turk looked straight ahead once more. The soldier that had blocked his view had now moved to sit down on a similar seat opposite him. A small metal table was screwed into steel panel flooring by the chair side and a small pistol lay on top of it. 

Reno's captor looked to be in his mid-forties and well battle-worn. An old, greying scar ran down the side of his face; the only smooth piece of skin on a sun-dried visage which had taken on the moistureless texture of beef-jerky. Hair, which may have once been a golden-brown, was now bleached blonde through outdoor exposure. It was cut very short and close to the scalp in a harsh and unrelenting way. A brush of stubble covered his chin and grey-blue eyes bored into Reno's glittering aqua gaze. But what Reno found most interesting was the outfit that the man wore. It was a perfect parody of the old Shinra SOLDIER uniforms in its dark maroon shades and loose fit with thick belt high on the waist. The only noticeable difference was in the emblem on the centre of the leather band. Instead of the ornate anchor-like symbol there were the letters 'M.O.M.P.' embossed into it; 'Midgar Office Military Police'. Reno found it easy to believe that his counterpart had more than likely been in the original SOLDIER programme when the old conglomerate were in power before Meteor. Although his eyes didn't glow with the sign of Mako-infusion, the harsh contours of his jaw-line and obvious muscular build even beneath the clothes added to the effect.

"Old Shinra employee, huh?" He asked openly and he was answered with a frown.

"What of it?"

Reno shrugged as much as he dared to with the taut bindings on his arms. "Nuthin', just wondering."

The ex-SOLDIER stared at him for a little longer before sitting forward in his seat and glaring with undisguised antipathy and curiosity on his features. "Yeah I was. SOLDIER third class. And you used to be one of Rufus' little pets, huh?"

__

Third class, Reno repeated to himself. _That makes sense; it was only the Firsts which had the misfortune of Hojo's 'improvements'._

"No, I was _Turk_ and still am," he responded coolly, keeping his own expressions in check and relaying nothing physical of his mental ponderings.

"Is that mean to be some kind of threat?"

Reno shrugged again. "Whatever takes your fancy," he grinned slowly.

With quite surprising speed for his age, his captor stood up and shoved a balled fist into the Turk's stomach violently before sitting down again placidly. He cracked his knuckles and drummed his fingers on the table beside the gun. Reno had managed to tense his abdomen muscles in preparation for the blow, but was still winded through shock and took a few deep gasps of pain.

"I know all about you Jerks and your interrogation tricks. Don't think I'm gonna fall for em," the man spat disdainfully. "Try and pull any more wise-cracks on me and I'll wipe the floor with your smart-ass."

Reno bit the inside of his cheek and forcefully restrained himself to hold back the many slanderous retorts bubbling in his mind. Eventually calming himself, he coughed and met the cold steely gaze once more. "What's your name, soldier?" he asked clipply, reverting back to routines carried out many years ago when he had indeed been one of Rufus' pets. 

At first it didn't seem as though he was going to get an answer, but eventually the ex-SOLDIER spoke. "Jarrad Reed."

"Well then Reed, _third_ class. I suggest that you let me get the hell out of here before I call Vice Mayor Jameson and get him to ship you off to Round Island," Reno replied emotionlessly with a confident undertone.

To his surprise he was met with a loud and derisive snort. "_Mr_ Jameson has been striped of his titles and is waitin' sentence with your other Jerk buddies down in the cells," Jarrad laughed obnoxiously and Reno felt his heart plummet although his face remained imperturbable. 

"When did this happen?" he asked impassively.

"It happened after you three were seen leaving his office late last night by an anonymous source," Jarrad reported smugly.

Reno's mind became a whirl of images and thoughts as a thousand outcomes and questions flipped through his brain. "An anonymous source? I didn't now that Offices were so professional that they'd trust the word of strangers without taking heed," he retorted dryly.

A raised eyebrow was his only answer for a long time. 

Reno's eyes began to wander once more around the room he was in. He recognised it as being the interrogation chamber underneath the Midgar Offices where over a hundred identical cells ran like honeycombs through the basement. He'd been down here many times on typical inspections and routine defence checking. Crime bosses and gangs which could prove major threats were few and far between now in strong contrast to the world before Shinra. It was only petty thieves and foul criminals such as rapists who were brought down to these rooms now; the Turks barely got a look in. Reno almost exhaled a sorrowful sigh. As much as he hated to admit it, interrogation always had been one of his favourite duties… .

"It doesn't matter who told us. We still caught you bastards fair and square," Jarrad growled eventually and Reno turned leisurely back to face him. "And not only that, we actually saw you helpin' them _murderers_ away too."

"Where's your proof?"

"We found you sneaking around in the old sewers like the bits of slime you are and watched as you helped that spiky AVALANCHE loser down the hatch onto the rail lines. We would've caught him too if the train hadn't moved away so fucking fast."

"Yeah well, trains are annoying like that," Reno muttered with mock sympathy. "Always moving too damned quickly, huh?"

He braced himself for another blow but it never came and a wary glance revealed that his adversary probably hadn't even heard him. Slightly thankful, Reno cleared his throat and stared at him thoughtfully.

"How did you know who it was we were helping to escape if you only saw one man?" he queried in a tone of voice he hoped disguised any interest. The last thing he wanted to do was let this bastard know he was ignorant about anything.

"With hair like that, how could you mistake him for anyone else?" the fighter chuckled. "Besides, our source told us that you were hiding AVALANCHE and after we found you and your buddies missing it wasn't to hard to see that we were onto something."

"So you saw that the Turks were missing and decided that we were instantly guilty?"

"You may think that the MPs ain't as smart as you Turks, but we're not as dumb as you think," Jarrad relayed with a hint of anger. "When we found you missing we went to see Jameson. It didn't take too much effort to find used medical equipment and food. A quick look over some of the rooms in the presidential suite let us know that they'd been used. We'd have to be blind not to know that somethin's been goin' on."

__

An anonymous source Reno mused to himself angrily. _Who the hell could have known what we were doing when we were so careful…?_

"About this information you received," Reno began thoughtfully. "Were they male or female?"

"We don't know; there was a note left on the Mayors desk."

__

A note in Redford's office… . That place is watched by security cameras constantly.

"Has anyone checked the cameras?" Reno questioned and he was met with a nod.

"Yup, they were all blank. No one was seen goin' in or out 'cause all the film had been wiped."

"Did it just show black when it was played?"

Jarrad nodded again. "It was like it hadn't even been used, y'know?"

__

Someone must've taken the used films and swapped them for new ones. The camera room is guarded at all times so this **has** to have been an inside job.

"What about the security in the room? What were they doing?" Reno continued to press impatiently. He was well aware that his constant questions would seem more than a little suspicious and he had long since given up his pretence of disinterest and aloofness if only for information. Jarrad Reed however seemed less than concerned and with an over-inflated sense of ego at his knowledge was only happy to reply.

"There were three men in the room, all found fast asleep. The weirdest thing was when the change-over guards tried to wake them up; they didn't come 'round for ages." Jarrad responded. In his talking he had picked up the small pistol and was now fiddling with it, clicking the safety on and off; looking down the barrel with one eye closed and shooting imaginary targets. Reno swallowed hard as the gun pointed to him but it quickly turned from his face to point at a spot just behind him.

__

All three guards deeply asleep. They must have been drugged.

"Was there any food up there?" he said after a few minutes of tense silence had elapsed. "Any drinks or sign that they might've inhaled something?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know? I just found this out from someone who works up there."

Reno frowned, his brow furrowed deeply. "So in other words, you have no fucking idea whether anything you've just told me is true or not?" he asked irritably.

Jarrad stood and planted a foot on the edge of Reno's chair between his knees. With a powerful kick, it toppled and the Turk let out a gasp as his back slammed against the cold metal floor. He opened his eyes, squinting against the bright overhead light and watched as the ex-SOLDIER stood over him and pointed the gun at his head.

"Listen you prick," he snapped angrily. "_I'm_ supposed to be the one asking _you_ questions, not the other way round. You're really starting to piss me off and if I put a clip-full of lead in your brain, I don't think anyone would give a shit. Now shut the hell up before I start putting more holes in you than a colander."

"That's enough, Reed," ordered a voice and Jarrad suddenly snapped up and spun around, a look of shock on his face.

Reno attempted to catch a glimpse of the person who had just entered, but the door was obscured by the seat of the chair and he was too stunned to raise his head and look.

"Sir!" the MP blurted out clumsily in typical military fashion. "Sorry, sir!"

"Now pick him up and take him through to the H-Wing. But make sure you put him in a different cell to the others," the same voice said again in a chillingly calm tone.

Jarrad answered with a salute before he turned back to Reno. "Treacherous bastard," he hissed. He coughed and spat on Reno's face before righting the chair and undoing the straps which fastened him to it. His hands free, Reno reached up impassively and wiped his face, flashing a dark and menacing glare to his captor. The interrupter of the proceedings still stood at the door and watched with a disinterested and thoroughly bored expression as Reno's hands were bound before him and he was pulled roughly to his feet.

He stepped to one side as the Turk was half dragged from the interrogation chamber and out into the seemingly endless corridor outside. As Reno passed the superior however his eyes narrowed in suspicion. There was something oddly familiar about that build and the colour of his eyes. Shaking his head and looking forward, Reno continued to move after his leader making sure to stop and trip as often as he could in order to make life that little bit more difficult.

His journey, that lasted twice as long as it should have courtesy of his awkward behaviour, came to a halt as after a labyrinth of corridors and passages they stopped outside of a cell door. The letter '**H**' was painted six-foot tall in fluorescent-yellow paint which almost seemed to glow in the cold light opposite the room entrance. Jarrad pulled a set of keys from his trouser pocket and stuck one into the lock, turning it and pushing the door open. He thrust Reno inside firmly and hastily slammed it shut after him. The bang echoed down the steely passageways and whistling a tuneless song and twirling the keyring on a thick index finger, he walked nonchalantly away from the scene and back to the interrogation chamber.

Certain that he was now alone, Reno slipped his hands easily from the ropes around his wrists and leapt up to look out of the window in the cell-door. He hung his arms out through the widely spaced iron bars and rested his forehead on the centre one. As he stared over at the door opposite him and slightly to the right, a face cautiously emerged. Eventually a relieved and joyous smile appeared on it and Reno grinned in return. 

"Hey, pretty lady," he drawled in a mockery of old Western Movies he'd seen as a child in the Sector Two cinema. "Come here of'fen?"

"Reno…!" Elena reprimanded with undisguised happiness. "Am I glad to see you??"

"I didn't know you cared," he grinned and she laughed in return. "How long have you been here for?"

She shrugged, and although serious, the smile did not dissipate from her features. "A few hours… maybe more. But almost a week passed the last time we were all imprisoned!"

Reno nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm… that doesn't sound too helpful. Where are Rude and Reeve?"

Elena pointed opposite herself to the doors in Reno's blind vision. "They're locked up next to you," she reported. "We all waited for you to come back for ages but you never showed and they were both exhausted, especially Reeve. He was still half-asleep when they threw him in there. Rude was questioned before you and he took a bad beating but should be fine. He always was the best out of any of us when it came to keeping quiet."

Reno smirked and gave a nod. "What about you? They asked you anything yet?"

She gave a single nod. "They asked me a few things but not much," she responded. Her expression became angry and Reno covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing as he sensed one of her 'equal rights' speeches on the horizon. "I mean just because I'm a woman they don't seem to think I know anything. It's not that I _want_ to be interrogated, it's just that they're so stupid to presume that I'm just a ditzy woman around for decoration…"

She continued talking and Reno turned around and rested his back against the door. A broad grin now covered his face and he shook his head in disbelief. He remembered once when they had been caught by arms-dealers in Junon and she had been a new recruit. Even then she had made such drawn out speeches about the stupidity of men and what sexist bastards they were (only emphasised by Don Corneo's kidnapping in Wutai). But at that time she had moaned about why she was the _only_ one to be questioned. Was it because she was a woman and they thought that she'd be weaker and most likely to spill her guts?

Reno gave a snort of laughter and choked it back as he turned to face her.

"…And another thing. When they _did_ sit me down and ask me what we were doing down in the sewers, those moronic pigs seemed too interested in my breasts to pay any attention to what I was saying!" She gave a noise of disgust and glared at Reno. "You men!" she cried in loathing. "You're all the same!"

She turned away from him and slumped out of view. Reno said nothing and decided to let her calm down before speaking with her once more. Although Elena on a chauvinistic rampage was a lethal weapon to own, the circumstances weren't right. He knew every twist and turn of these corridors and passages but it would be futile to escape. He'd designed much of the security himself with cameras on every corner and motion sensors near doorways and exits. Member of the MP and occasionally SP constantly patrolled the premises looking for suspicious events or objects. 

He'd been trapped by himself and at that moment felt lower than he'd ever felt before. It was all very well joking and laughing with his comrade, but when it came down to it; it was all a façade. He didn't know how they were going to get away or even where to. There was a city above them with the knowledge of their involvement in the past turbulent month. Surrounding them was steel many feet thick and people watching their every move. It wasn't the best place to be in at that moment he decided. In fact, he realised that he'd rather be walking around the old sewer-system with crap up to his neck and rats gnawing on his head than sat in that cell. Unfortunately he had no choice otherwise he would've picked himself up gladly and stuck a few bits of cheese in his ears to give those rodents something to _really_ enjoy.

And what about this 'mysterious anonymous source'? Who had the ability to get up to some of the most heavily guarded areas of the Midgar Offices? Who even knew the Turks' involvement with everything that had been going on? There was only one answer and it was not a pretty one; Reno pulled a face. An inside spy was the only option and it made his stomach reel to even consider it.

He snorted to himself at his truly bizarre speculations.

"I have to get out of here before I go nuts," he said, realising the very irony of the fact he was talking to himself. "Definitely… ." He finished before walking over to his cot and collapsing onto it.


	20. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 20 'Moving on and backing down'

The heavily cloaked figure moved easily through the crowds shrouded so heavily that only his eyes were visible. Those who dared to meet the shadowy gaze were startled to see aqua points glowing vividly from the darkness. A chill crept down their spine and they turned away hastily in the futile hope that they hadn't been noticed. Too terrified by the sight, they said nothing to those around them and so the figure pressed on silently.

Taking a final glance behind him, he pushed open the tavern doors and stepped through. His eyes darted over the crowd and narrowed in satisfaction as they fell up a group of four people who were also cloaked but to a lesser degree. Coughing nervously, he pushed through the mass of bodies and towards the dark table in the quietest corner of the room. As he neared his destination, bright blue eyes turned up towards him and a gloved hand motioned towards a chair. He sat without a word and the remaining three pairs of eyes turned to him.

"Did you get them?" asked a low voice, the owner of the bright blue eyes. 

Sephiroth nodded. "Yes; the shop owner was not overly willing to make a sale this late at night. But after I showed him the Gil he seemed to be falling over himself to get what I needed."

Cloud gave a chuckle and shook his head in a pitying fashion. "As terrible as the greed is which drives so many people now, I can't help but be thankful for it at times."

Tifa nodded beside him in agreement. "A little wealth goes a long way," she commented quietly.

Cid lifted his glass and gulped down the rest of the tepid liquid in it, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and grimacing. "That's gotta be the worst beer I've had for a while," he announced grimly.

"You should be happy for it," Yuffie said from his side, the member of the group tucked furthest away in the corner. "It's probably the last one you'll have for ages."

Cloud agreed wordlessly with an aura of solemnity. "True," he murmured. "Now that we have the supplies we need, whatever Gil we have left goes towards paying our way. I have a feeling that the medicine storeowner won't be the last person we'll have to bribe along our journey."

"Who said we needed money to persuade people?" Yuffie retorted with an impish grin and Cloud observed a glint of light reflected off the metal of her shuriken.

"We want to make as few ripples as we can," Sephiroth stated in a low tone of voice. "If we start threatening people then they'll want protecting and stories will spread. Money and a little charm can silence the loudest mouths."

Yuffie sniffed. "I still like my idea," she mumbled childishly and Cid gave a snort of laughter. 

Tifa looked up warily to see if any attention had been drawn to them through Cid's exclamation. Fortunately most of the patrons at the bar were too intoxicated to care or too involved in conversation to hear. She exhaled thankfully and unconsciously drew her hooded cloak around her tightly.

"We look like a bunch of monks," Cid said after silence fell upon the group for a few minutes.

Yuffie laughed this time and smiles touched the faces of the remaining group members.

"You shouldn't really be joking with the situation we're in," Sephiroth said icily to break the slightly relaxed atmosphere. The laughter died on their lips at his statement and they swapped curious looks.

"A few laughs won't kill us, Seph," Cid argued and Yuffie gave a reassuring smile but the silver-haired man pulled a face.

"My name is _Sephiroth_. And making too much noise will be the death of us. I'm certain I saw that man over there lurking in the shadows outside of the medicine store when I went in."

The members of AVALANCHE followed the general's line of vision as his gaze flicked subtly over to a thickly built man leaning on the bar. He had clearly been looking in their direction, but as four pairs of eyes glared at him he averted his sight hastily.

"I think he's been watching us," Cloud said once they all turned back to the table. "He seemed more than a little flustered when we looked at him."

Sephiroth said nothing but gave a thoughtful nod. "If that's true then we should think about leaving here as soon as possible."

"But why would he just be observing us?" Tifa asked curiously. "I mean if you're right and he did follow you to the item store, then why didn't he just alert the MPs of our presence? Why is he still just watching us?"

Yuffie glanced over to the man who had found sudden interest in a dent on the bar counter. She narrowed her eyes, before glancing down at her half-finished glass of orange juice. She held it between her hands and idly swilled the warm fruit drink around the glass. "That's a good point actually," she stated eventually. "I've been followed once or twice by bandit look-outs and thieves who want my materia. They don't take the risk of discovery, and as soon as they find out where I am then they go to alert the others."

"Maybe we should question him?" Cid piped up with a glance around the other's faces. "Y'know, we could just ask him what he finds so damned interesting."

Sephiroth shook his head. "No, that's the worst thing we can do. If whoever he works for realises that we know of them then they'll make their move and we don't get to find out anything. If we remain natural and seemingly unsuspecting then we can probably work out a lot more by his actions and habits. We can get away and hide when they least suspect it if the worst comes to the worst."

Cid gave a grudging grunt of agreement. Although the pilot had grown used to Sephiroth's presence he still found himself disagreeing with it. Deep inside he still mused whether or not his companions were indeed insane for even _considering_ to allow the general to join them on their quest. Stuck in a busy bar with more people per square metre than there were books in a library he had little choice but to stay quiet. He made a mental note to bring it up with Cloud the next time he and the ex-SOLDIER were alone. However he realised that the blonde-haired warrior and Sephiroth had become disturbingly close and trying to make Cloud see sense would be virtually impossible. Still, it was worth a try wasn't it…?

"What're you thinking about?" Asked a voice and Cid turned to look at Yuffie.

"Nuthin'," he shrugged, but eventually another grin found its way onto his features. "I was just wonderin' if that guy over there was considering coming over and asking us where our monastery is."

Yuffie laughed into her hand in an effort to muffle her mirth. That was so typical of Cid to remain light-hearted in the direst situations.

"Seriously," she pressed gently when she had calmed down.

He lit another cigarette and leant back on his chair blowing a stream of smoke into the humid, heavy air of the tavern. The wispy smog hung in the almost solid heat for a few seconds before dissipating hesitantly "It wasn't important," he lied nonchalantly. "Just about what we're doin' next." Although Cid had made his feelings towards Sephiroth clear it was unfair to keep them on the surface. They had gone too far together just to be caught by a grudge he bore. Mentioning his loathing would prompt a heated discussion which wouldn't end peacefully and that was the last thing he wanted. Lying was the most convenient response he could think of and the ninja seemed happy with his answer.

She nodded in understanding and looked over at Cloud who was staring contemplatively at a spot on the wall just above her head. "Where next, oh Great Leader?" she asked with a bright, optimistic smile.

Cloud gave a smile in return and rubbed his neck thoughtfully. "We'll leave here tonight and go on toward the Chocobo farms. We get our birds and head on over to Junon. I've been giving it a lot of thought and from there I think we should go to Costa del Sol and Correl."

"It's like the Meteor Quest all over again," Tifa commented with a sigh. "Are we making a stop at the Gold Saucer this time around?"

Cloud shook his head. "Although we haven't been recognised yet we don't want to push our luck by going someplace like that. We'll go from Correl straight to Cosmo Canyon."

"Yay! We can see Red again!" Yuffie beamed happily.

"Why are we missing out Gongaga?" queried Cid.

"It would be a pointless diversion and we should only go there if we desperately need supplies. The Midgar Offices have done a lot of good-will work over there and so they're all linked heavily to the mayor and Reeve. If we're gonna be recognised anywhere on the Western Continent it'll be there." Cid nodded at the logic and Cloud continued. "Although of course keeping our necks in one piece is our main priority, we still have to find out about this damned 'Vigilante'."

"I have had no more visions nor dreams concerning it," Sephiroth announced. "But I'm convinced that it was real and still very much a threat. When I spoke and fought with it, it was within my own mind. It is possible that it may have been biding its time and preparing to make itself known in the real world now."

Cloud pulled a grim face. "That's why we need to go to Cosmo Canyon. If there's anywhere on Earth we can find out about it, it's there."

"I agree," Sephiroth confirmed. "We still have no idea about what it is but judging by its obsession with the Earth we can guess that it has strong links with it. Cosmo Canyon devotes itself to Planetary Study and life and if anything bizarre is going on then your friend will know."

"It's at times like these I wish that the PHS systems were still online," Cid muttered irritatedly. "I could just call up the Highwind and have us flown all the way there."

"Maybe its good thing we can't use the Highwind," Yuffie started. "I mean at least sneaking around we won't be noticed. But if we get that great big bucket of bolts zooming everywhere then we'll be caught in a few days."

"Bucket of _bolts_??" Cid exclaimed loudly and Tifa's stomach lurched as a few of the tavern occupants turned over to them. She flashed the pilot a warning glare and he fell silent, the patrons soon turning back to their conversations and drink.

"I think we've out-stayed our welcome," she commented softly. "If we stay any longer then we'll look even more out of place among this bunch."

Cloud stood and the others followed suit. Taking a final glance around his companions, he pushed his way through the crowds without so much as glancing at their unwanted observer. He opened up the exit and felt a rush of freezing air wash over him. Pulling his cloak even closer around himself he strode out and waited by the disused reactor in the Town Square. The others gathered around him quickly and huddled together for warmth aside from Sephiroth who leant up against a pipe a metre or two away from them. 

"It's supposed to be gettin' warmer with spring, not colder," Cid shivered, his breath making puffy clouds in the air. 

"It's far too cold," Tifa trembled in agreement. "I wonder if the chocobos will be alright?"

"We took them all the way up to Icicle, remember? You can't get much colder than there," Yuffie pointed out.

There was a short period of silence as the group of five shuddered into the coarse brown shrouds which covered them from head to toe. As stupid as they knew they looked, they were ironically thankful for the protection that they offered. Cloud opened his mouth to order them on when a he felt his stomach lurch and his heart fly up to his mouth. A troubled look around his companions showed that the same peculiar feeling had overwhelmed them also as they stared in stunned silence at the ground beneath their feet.

"What the hell was that?" Cid gasped, his cigarette now lying in with an angry amber glow on the slippery cobbles.

"It felt like a tremor!" Tifa exclaimed. "What on earth could it be?"

Cloud's frown deepened and he shook his head in sheer puzzlement. "I have no idea," he admitted eventually. He looked to Sephiroth in the hope of some kind of explanation, but the general seemed considerably more concerned with the tavern they had just exited. "What's wrong?" he asked Sephiroth and awaited an answer.

"That man is watching us through the window," came the reply, and in a not-so subtle fashion they forgot the previous event and their eyes unanimously darted to the glass pane. Their stalker was indeed observing them but as before at their attention, he turned away quickly to occupy himself with something else.

"Maybe he's just a weirdo."

"Well why isn't he watchin' anyone else, then?" Cid contended and Yuffie gave a shrug.

"He knows we've left the inn and may even try to follow us out here," Cloud stated in a shivering whisper. "We should get out of here as quickly as we can so not give him the opportunity. He'll want to stay as inconspicuous as possible and he won't do that by running after us down the grasslands."

He was met with silence, and taking that to be some form of agreement he made a gesture with his hand and the group followed him as he walked as quietly as possible across the cobbled street.

Kalm had grown dramatically since the original downfall of Midgar. Being the nearest habitation to the old mega-city it was chosen by many to make their new lives in. As a result it had expanded dramatically West towards the Grasslands. Although the old part of town had remained as quaint and beautiful as ever in its old fashioned style, the new blocks of housing were considerably less so. Fortunately however they were built a few miles away from the town. Although still regarded as being a part of Kalm they were well out of sight. Many had even given them their own name of 'Slumsville' for that was exactly what they were. Row upon row of shoddy apartments made for those too poor to move further away to more desirable places such as Mideel and Costa del Sol. With Midgar's resurrection though, most of these people had moved back to where they had previously lived leaving the 'Slumsville' deserted. Now it simply stood as yet another edifice to Meteor's brief reign. 

There were still tall walls built around Kalm, enclosing it and emphasising the point that it was in fact separate to the blocks of housing near the open grasslands if that wasn't clear enough to any visitors. The group of five walked out through the town gates and directly onto the frosty grass. They'd spent a day in the old town attempting to catch even the slightest rumours as to what was happening back in their home city. Not daring to speak to anyone or draw attention to themselves however they discovered little. After a short sleep in an old stable they had awoken barely an hour before and prepared to depart. And so with bags full of medical equipment and food, they set out into the unknown.

"If we keep on travelling by night then we'll be safer," Cloud commented as they marched a mile away from Kalm.

Yuffie nodded in agreement from the middle of the line. "Yeah. And when we decide to make camp we should try and find some trees or a cave. That way any light or noise we make will be contained or at least muffled"

"Hell, you know more about keeping under cover than I think you healthily should," Cid commented lightly and the ninja looked at him questioningly. "Somethin' tells me you're used to hiding from people!"

"Quit it, Old Man," Yuffie said quickly and Tifa smiled to see a wash of self-conscious scarlet brush over the young woman's cheeks.

"Would this have anything to do with a certain young Wutaneese man by the name of Silvan?" She grinned and Yuffie huddled further into her robes as though hoping they would swallow her up.

The others looked at her expectedly until she finally snapped. "Alright, alright!" she cried. "Yes I hid from him! Happy now?? And his name is Sil_vas_, not Sil_van_, okay??"

The others burst out laughing and even a smile twitched at the corners of Sephiroth's lips. "Am I to presume he is an admirer of yours?" he inquired softly and Yuffie spun around to face him, pointing an accusing finger at his chest.

"And you can shut up too!" She yelled before storming off ahead of the four who were now helplessly in hysterics and almost having problems with standing up straight. Tifa glanced over at the silver-haired general and found herself even happier to see that he had released his glacial front and was smiling as much as the others were. She flashed him a grin before wiping a tear from her eye and staring into the darkness to locate her friend.

"I think one of us should go after her," she mused once they had become quiet once more.

Cid shook his head as he lit a cigarette. "Nah, don't worry about it. We'll walk for a few more hours and then set up camp. As soon as she smells any food cookin' she'll wander over."

Cloud gave a chuckle before turning back to their route and trudging on.

"So what do you think?" Cloud asked in a low tone of voice in fear of detection.

Sephiroth said nothing from by his side for a long time and Cloud wondered if he was all alone. He looked askance at the general for a few seconds, not bothering to turn his head or rush an answer. In return, the silver-haired warrior narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and stared over the horizon. "I'm not sure," he stated unrevealingly after a while.

Cloud pulled a face although whether it was due to the anti-climax of the response or the uselessness he wasn't sure. As he opened his mouth to speak again there was a soft tremor beneath his feet. His eyebrows raised but he pressed his lips together tightly in a white line. For the past hour of their hike the ground had begun to shudder gently and erratically. Every odd movement was unexpected and it was only the two ex-SOLDIER's reactions which prevented them from stumbling. 

Eventually the trembling ceased and the men straightened themselves once again to look out over the ghostly Slumsville. 

The vast, thin blocks of apartments stretched skyward in an accusing fashion from the dark Earth. It was said that those who were too poor to even move back to the new Midgar had remained to haunt the modern ruins. Over the past year or so they'd been forgotten until now the area was viewed with the same scepticism and dismissal as the Temple of the Ancients. No one could quite bring themselves to admit that they existed. The thought that, if even for a short while, people had lived in such squalor made them blanch and change the subject. Those who had indeed lived in the temporary housing denied it. They were part of the Midgar's new elite and didn't want to soil their reputation with the admittance they had lived in such a hellish place.

The crumbling structures fell just a little bit more with the minor earthquake. Chunks of concrete and plaster tumbled from the upper floors and smashed open on the ground with a loud crack on top of already disintegrated masonry. Holes which may have held windows at one point in their brief existence now stood agape, staring darkly into to the night. Cloud inwardly thought that the whole place would look much better in the daylight. But not by much. It was impossible to even think that anyone could have lived here. Let alone the thought of an entire city's worth of humans. 

Let alone the thought that people still _did_ inhabit the place. 

He felt a chill creep up his spine and gave a shudder. "We were right not to go here for our camp, " he commented emotionlessly. Despite the obvious danger of the unstable buildings, a greater threat came from the population themselves. AVALANCHE would probably be lucky to wake up the next morning with their lives if not their Gil he'd realised. Having made a temporary base in a clearing in the woods behind him he felt reasonably safe. It was night and very hazardous; monsters still roamed the land meaning that the thieves and beggars of Slumsville wouldn't come out to investigate if they saw the glow of a fire in the middle of the local forest. Being in the Special Patrol it had been part of his job to deal with the hideous beasts of the area and so he knew exactly how dangerous it could be. 

He'd saved many lives and homes in his work and when all his troubles had begun a few weeks ago they'd turned their backs on him. Reeve had only reiterated his unpopularity by stating that the SP's were run _by_ the public, _for_ the public and it was their choice to kick him out. Cloud snorted. _There's gratitude for ya_, he thought ironically.

Sephiroth glanced questioningly at him but said nothing and merely adjusted his grip on the hilt of his sword. "So why did you come back here?"

Cloud turned his head to face his old superior. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"If you knew we were not going to sleep here tonight then why did you want to come and look at it?"

Cloud gave a deep sigh and rubbed his neck. It had been aching badly since his unceremonious drop into the train carriage in their escape from Midgar. Now it had subsided to a numbness which was just as irritating and he hoped on an unconscious level to once more encourage some kind of feeling in it. He thought long and hard for a few minutes. The only sounds breaking his musings were the howling of the wind as it blew through the hollow windowpanes and the rustling of the branches behind him. No human sounds came from Slumsville before them. 

"I don't know," he replied eventually.

Sephiroth opened his mouth to speak but quickly thought better of it. As Cloud stared in his direction he gathered the will to make his thoughts known once more. "Do you know what I think?"

Cloud shook his head.

"I think that recently you've lost all faith in humanity. The only people you have come into contact recently have either been baying for your blood or one-another's. You have a city and soon a Planet wishing for your death and friends around you who still hold hostility for each other no matter how hard they try to hide it. It is not hard to tell that you have all argued at some point in the past," the general said and Cloud's frown deepened.

The leader of AVALANCHE seemed about to object when his hands slipped to his sides and his head bowed in a reluctant position. "I won't argue with you there," he responded quietly. Sephiroth remained silent and folded his arms across a muscled chest. "We've all almost come to blows recently. Cid, Tifa and I virtually have." He paused and gave a forceful swallow, now touching the cheek Tifa had slapped so many weeks before. "Vincent and Yuffie are the obvious ones. But then there are others too… . Cid hasn't entirely forgiven Vincent for what he did to Yuffie all those weeks back and although Yuffie misses Vincent I think that deep down she's terrified of him. I'm not even sure if I need to say this but…I don't think that any of us are completely pleased with having you join us," he ended hesitantly, not daring to meet his companion's aqua gaze. "Especially not Cid."

The world was still again save for the continuous wind which seemed to roll over the treetops and down the side of the cliff they were perched on. It ruffled through their clothes and hair. Every now and then Cloud noticed a few strands of silver waft in his peripheral vision. They were quickly scraped back by a deliberate, black-gloved hand and tucked back behind the shoulders of the man who had been leader of the Shinra army in one life, and the saviour of his enemies in another.

"I don't blame Cid and I don't blame you. I never have," Sephiroth answered eventually. "As I said the night you took me back to Tifa's bar, I would have to kill you if you ever considered forgiving me for my crimes. It is the last thing I want. Although I know I have no right to ask for anything, all I wish is for me to carry out my 'destiny' and be allowed to return to my suspension in the Lifestream. Perhaps then, and only then, I will allow myself to slip into the unconscious the universe wishes me to do so as a release. But that is more of a personal thing; a battle that only _I_ can triumph in and reap the rewards. As for my past actions and present existence, they are the only things that you and your friends have to gauge me on. The picture I have painted is not a pleasant one."

"You saved our lives back at the reactor."

"And you saved mine. We are even for that." There was an arduous pause before both Cloud and his past nemesis turned to face each other. "Do not take your sights off me, Cloud," the general said firmly in a tone of voice Cloud recognised from his days in the Shinra army. His nose wrinkled in grim remembrance. "As grateful as I am to you for everything you've done, in this life there is no Jenova nor scientist controlling me. It is completely Fate and I am now the puppet of the Universe. That is a greater master than science or any alien and I am bound to it. Rest assured, when the time comes for me to act upon my orders then I will do it without hesitation… no matter what it asks me to do. If that is to save your lives, then so be it. If that is to _end_ your lives… then so be it."

Cloud blinked slowly and turned over to the horizon once more. "Do what you have to," he said quietly. "By telling me that… you just let me know how much like the man I once knew you are. Following orders without a question and sacrificing yourself for your men if you feel it's necessary… .But this isn't the army any more. We're not your men and while you follow your destiny, so will we. Our purposes are not as obvious as yours are but we will find them as we always do. We'll help you as much as we can and I expect you to do likewise. Until the time comes when, and _if_, we have to go against one-another or separate, no grudges can be bared. We know the call better than any other men on the planet and when the Fate summons us, we'll do what we're told. For now our paths are intertwined and when they separate I know you'll follow the laws set down for us both with the same zealousness as you followed orders as a general. You know I'll do the same. That's why, although I don't forgive you and I don't know if I ever can, I'll trust you with my life."

"And I shall do likewise," Sephiroth ended quietly. 

A smile touched the lips of both men and they turned to each other and shook hands. They clasped each other on opposite shoulders and gave satisfied nods. 

__

One feud down, a lifetime's worth to go Cloud sighed inwardly as he began to walk back into the forest.

"So you've decided to come back, huh?" Cid grinned as the slight figure slunk into the ring of light thrown out by the campfire. A black pot sat on top of the flames suspended on a frame of sticks. A greeny liquid inside bubbled in a subdued fashion with occasional bits of meat or vegetables floating to the surface and bobbing along before sinking again. 

Yuffie held her head high and looked at the Captain over the end of her nose. He sat opposite the blaze to her with his elbows resting on his knees, his bomber jacket draped over his shoulders. She sniffed dismissively and slumped down on the grass after arranging her brown robes, picking up a stick and prodding the fire nonchalantly. The others present, Cid and Tifa exchanged amused looks before laughing to themselves and turning back to the stars. Minutes of silence later, Sephiroth and Cloud entered the clearing quietly and sat down beside the fire. Cloud slipped an arm over Tifa's shoulders and Sephiroth sat on a rotting log which only just peeked into the circle of light. 

"Everythin' okay?" Cid asked eventually with hesitant suspicion. He cast his gaze between the two warriors who had just come to them from the forest and attempted to read their expressions. There was an odd tone of peace on their faces which puzzled him and frightened him to a lesser degree. As happy as he was that Cloud seemed to have made some kind of inner peace, it hurt him to think that it had been shared with their old nemesis.

Cloud gave a slight smile and nodded. "Yeah, everything's fine," he answered and Cid found himself genuinely believing it. It was an oddly good feeling and he smiled in response despite himself and lay back on the grass with an unlit cigarette between his teeth.

The cold bliss held itself well for about half an hour as the five travellers lay back and looked at the stars or simply stayed content with their company. It was softly broken as Tifa shuffled forward from Cloud's grasp and stirred the soup in the pot. She took a sip and began ladling it unprompted into five bowls which looked as though they'd seen better days. With a contented smile as she cast her mind back to similar times five years before, she handed out the food to all present. Without spoons they resorted to drinking from the bowl, but all were so hungry after a night's walking they didn't complain. Cid complimented her on it heartily and proceeded to help himself to more much to Yuffie's amusement.

They conversed quietly, Cid teasing Yuffie about her admirer whilst Tifa and Cloud chatted excitedly about how wonderful it would be to see all their friends together once more. Sephiroth leant back on the log and took occasional drinks from his bowl. A slight smile played upon his wan lips as he observed his companions and his aqua eyes gleamed warmly from the light of the controlled blaze in the centre of the clearing. 

The first wave of pain hit him however as he raised the bowl to his mouth for the third time. Brushing it off as a relapse of his previous illnesses he simply rested his head on the pulpy wood behind him and concentrated on suppressing any aches. 

The second distress gripped his mind as a minor earthquake started to rock the very ground they sat upon. All chatter ceased immediately and AVALANCHE glanced around full of expectation and puzzlement. As the tremor faded away, noise gradually returned to the group.

"It feels like they're getting stronger."

"I wonder what could be causing them?"

"Damn man, I dropped soup all over my jacket!"

"I hope that everyone back in Midgar's safe… ."

After their brief outcries, they once more fell silent. There was an unbearably long pause as they found themselves either waiting for an explanation or a repeat of the event. It was starting to get even more worrying as each tremble brought more panic and unfounded fear into their hearts. Earthquakes only occurred in unstable places such as Mideel and Mount Correl; certainly not in the middle of the Eastern Continent. 

"Does anyone else notice something… weird?" Yuffie asked eventually and the rest of AVALANCHE looked at her with puzzled expressions.

"Apart from the earthquakes you mean?" Cid responded sarcastically and Yuffie shot him a glare before looking in a dazed fashion up at the stars.

They followed her gaze, and unable to find anything out of place in the heavens exchanged silent questions among themselves.

"No, what?" Cloud queried eventually.

"Listen," was his only answer, and with brows knitted together he held his breath and did as he was told. After a few seconds he exhaled and Yuffie gave him a knowing look.

"What is it?" said Tifa to dispel the atmosphere of secrecy.

"There's… nothing!" Cloud exclaimed and Cid's eyebrows raised.

"Oh… Kay then," he acknowledged dubiously. "I didn't know that nuthin' was so damned interesting."

"That's the point!" Yuffie stated with a degree of obviousness. "No noise! No insects, no wolves and no wind! The whole place is silent."

Cid and Tifa took their turns to listen out and gasped in surprise as they discovered the fact for themselves. "That's creepy," Tifa shuddered as her burgundy eyes darted warily around.

Sephiroth rubbed his temples and straightened his neck, his eyes closed tightly.

"What's wrong?" Yuffie asked worriedly but he shook a gloved hand dismissively.

"It's all right," he replied quietly. "Just a headache."

Cloud stood up and looked around the clearing. "This is beginning to worry me," he breathed cautiously as though fearful of what could hear him. He altered his stare to look down at Sephiroth. "How bad is it?"

"It's getting better. It just came on when I felt the tremor."

Cloud's eyes narrowed in thought. "And you didn't have one before then?"

"No."

"That doesn't mean they're linked," Cid said suddenly to interrupt his leader's thoughts. "If he's only just got a headache then that might mean nothing. There've been quakes all evenin'."

"True. But the tremors just then were a lot worse than the ones before," Tifa retorted logically and Cid nodded in reluctant conformity.

"I don't like it here," Yuffie shivered as she stood up and walked hastily to stand beside Cloud. 

"I don't either," the ex-SOLDIER agreed. "Maybe it would be a good idea if we moved out."

Tifa gave a sudden yelp in alarm and Cloud's muscles tensed as he grabbed his sword from the floor and raised it so that the vast blade was parallel to the ground. Yuffie somersaulted back to lift her Conformer and assumed a throwing position. The proprietress leapt up and spun back to look into the trees which had stood behind her. Her frame trembled in fear and her eyes were alarmingly wide.

"I, I felt s, something…!" she stuttered in obvious terror. "Something was looking at me!"

"I don't seeing anything," Yuffie frowned but Cloud kept his position.

"In the forest?" he asked her through gritted teeth and she nodded frantically. He took a few long strides forward and with a sudden swing, his sword ploughed in a neat arc through the vegetation. The blow would have either injured severely or killed any creature in the immediate vicinity but nothing revealed itself.

He dropped his position and walked over to her. "Still feel it?"

Her eyes looked suspiciously over the dark, shadow-filled mass of branches and she eventually shook her head. "No," she answered quietly. Although she still shook from unfounded fear she attempted to pull herself up tall and scraped a few strands of hair back off her face. "I'm sure it was nothing. I've been on tender-hooks all night."

Cloud tried to accept her dismissive explanation but noticed that her eyes continued to bore into the foliage a few metres away as she spoke. 

Cid was the last to stand as Sephiroth brushed himself down opposite the pilot in the clearing. "Suddenly I'm not tired any more," he muttered, lighting the cigarette he'd almost bitten in half in Tifa's sudden fright. Despite his efforts to remain calm, his hands were shivering as he lit the end of the cylindrical object. "Anyone else feel like movin' on?"

"I think it would be wise," came Sephiroth's response as he holstered the Masamune and glared with gleaming aqua eyes in the direction of Slumsville. It seemed more than happy coincidence that the old city was in the direction Tifa had felt a gaze on her and it was in the same area as the epicentre of the earthquakes appeared to be. He began to talk once more but a muted rumbling interrupted his speech and he inhaled sharply, grasping his head with clawed hands. "Damnit," he hissed behind gritted teeth as a jab of pain seared through his mind.

Cloud watched him worriedly but made no move to help knowing that he'd be shoved back if he attempted to aid the general. "Will you be all right to travel?" he asked once the source of his interested pulled himself up again, his face pale and lips almost bloodless.

A silver-haired head nodded and the group silently gathered their belongings and doused the fire, burying the remains to disguise any signs they had been there. 

Reno jerked awake as the very cot he lay upon shuddered so hard he was almost thrown to the floor. He leapt to his feet in a surprising state of awareness despite the little sleep he'd had and ran to the cell door. He peered out through the small, barred window and attempted to see down the corridor to his right. 

"Yo, Rude!" he called in a loud whisper. "You there man?"

As he watched, a hand waved out through the bars in the door next to him. A smile touched his face at the gesture but slipped away quickly as another tremor rocked the floor. "Do you feel that?" he asked. "Only I fell out of bed and wondered if I'd been snoring too loudly again. I've done that before… thought a damned demolition ball was trying to knock down my apartment and I was just making so much noise…!"

"No, I felt it. Like an earthquake?" came the response and Reno nodded in grim satisfaction to himself.

"Yeah, that's right. I wonder what they're doing up there."

"I doubt they're moving furniture around," said a weary yet sarcastic female voice and Reno grinned as Elena's dishevelled face appeared opposite him.

"Lookin' good," he commented and she snarled, narrowing mascara-smudged eyes.

"Don't piss me off, Reno," she growled. "I've had about five minutes sleep in the past two days and waking up to your face isn't helping. Have you any idea how loud you snore…?" Reno muffled a laugh but the sight of his jesting eyes angered Elena enough and she shook her head in disgust. "When we get out of here, I'm gonna-"

There was another, more subtle quake and she looked around worriedly. When it died down leaving only vibrations in their feet, Reno once more tried to look towards where Rude and Reeve were. "Hey, Reeve?" he hailed quietly.

There was a loud groaning and he saw a pair of hands grip the barred window two doors down from him as the executive pulled himself to his feet. "What?" came Reeve's reluctant response.

"What's goin' on? Why are there earthquakes?" the Turk leader asked immediately.

"Yeah, is this something to do with the Offices?" Elena piped in.

"Uh, I… don't know," Reeve answered eventually. "I don't see why it would be. The building is beautiful certainly, but here in the middle of the Eastern Continent it wasn't made to withstand such movements from the ground. I should know; I virtually designed it. It doesn't have to be stable because there've never been shudders like these in this part of the world before."

Reno pulled a grim expression. "If it's nothing to do with the Office execs, then it can be one of two things."

"And what're they?" Elena asked curiously.

"One, those morons in AVALANCHE are setting off bombs or making a ruckus so that we can get out. And Two, it's something weird."

"I'd go for the latter," Rude commented impassively. "If we are getting rescued, AVALANCHE would know to be a little less obvious than that."

"Do you really believe they'd blow the building up in order to rescue us?" Reeve asked the fiery Turk with undisguised curiosity.

Reno snorted in response. "I wouldn't put it past them," he replied with a bark of laughter. "They never were the subtle type."

"I think you underestimate them, Reno," Reeve added thoughtfully. "Perhaps its time you started to realise that when we fought against you during the Meteor Crisis, our victories had nothing to do with just luck."

Reno's face darkened as he began to realise what direction the conversation was taking. His boss had been pressing him during regular intervals of their capture in order to find out the cause of the sudden conflict between the blue-suited trio and the Eco-warriors without avail. The Turk leader had been holding back the truth for so long now that he felt as though his head was about to explode. But as he felt anger creeping up his mind he began to wonder whether there was any point. Trapped, defenceless and without a hope in hell of escape he had passed tense and was considering tearing his cell bars out with his bare hands. Was this a time for pleasantries and hurt feelings? He almost laughed aloud; he was damned if he was about to continue tiptoeing around people any more. It required far too much thought and quieting the ravaging images racing through his brain was hard enough already. 

__

Fuck that he decided crassly as he bided his time and listened to Reeve's words.

"If you really did think they'd be setting off explosions like that in order to let us out of here then maybe you need to re-evaluate your allies. Not only would causing such large devastation alert their presence to any of the military police, think of all the civilians that would be hurt."

"Look Reeve, you've been my superior ever since I joined the Shinra and I'm not about to go against that in any great hurry. But now the tables have turned and you're just another 'Joe' like us. I still respect you an' all, but don't start sprouting any 'my-gang-is-better-than-your-gang' crap on me otherwise you'll become just another punk to me," Reno responded with restrained anger.

"I'm not stating any kind of loyalties, Reno," Reeve retorted with a mature firmness. "But whatever has been going on between the Turks and AVALANCHE recently should be sorted out."

Reno rolled his eyes and gave an exaggerated sigh. _You're so damned predictable, Reeve_ he muttered mentally.

"I have a feeling that our ends aren't going to be met in these dingy cells," the Vice-mayor continued. "And our lives are going to be far from easy from now on. If anything we'll all end up in the same boat, and when that happens I don't want anyone rocking it and drowning us all. I'm not getting on your back, but its obvious from your beliefs of how my friends would act that you don't have a very high opinion of them."

"I don't, and I never have," Reno answered matter-of-factly.

"Well that's your problem then," Reeve ended as he turned back to the darkness of his cell and sat down on his bunk, utterly exasperated with his counterpart's lack of interest and obvious aloofness.

Elena cleared her throat nervously and gave a peculiar look to Rude who took it emotionlessly and simply sighed in response. "We still haven't worked out what is causing all the noise and rumbling," he stated eventually. "Maybe we should be putting arguments to one side until we get out of here."

Elena looked to her boss for some kind of response, but his gaze was fixed on the wall opposite him and he didn't even acknowledge her presence. Turning back to look at Rude she drummed her fingers along one of the bars. "They feel like earthquakes, but that wouldn't make any sense."

"Sephiroth coming back from the dead didn't make any sense either so maybe we should keep open minds," the bald Turks answered and she gave a pensive nod.

"True. So what do you think?"

"There was a lot of instability during Meteor's reign, wasn't there?" he asked rhetorically and she nodded. "These quakes might just be relapses of that."

"That simple, huh?" she smiled and he gave a slight nod. "Well if that's the case, why here in Midgar? What's so great about this dive?"

"I don't appreciate my life's work being referred to as a 'dive'," Reeve objected moodily from the shadows of his room and Elena's smile became a grin.

"I thought that would get you talking again," she apologised warmly. "Sorry."

She heard a quiet chuckling and the goateed visage of the vice-mayor once more appeared in the window of his door. "All right, all right. Sulk over," he mumbled with forced cheerfulness. "I agree with Rude. Tremors have never been common on our Planet, even during the time of the Cetra and it was only during Meteor's time when they were frequent. Thinking about it more carefully…" Reeve stopped and his eyebrows raised as his eyes glazed over in a familiar gesture. Elena stared at him patiently as his lips moved and muttered words that she knew would be inaudible even if she were standing next to him. 

"Care to share those thoughts with the rest of us?" she inquired and he gradually surfaced, a look of frightening calmness set in his brow.

"There were a lot of quakes when Meteor was around, but that was only when the WEAPONS were present," he relayed to her but her expression of puzzlement remained. "I've told you about the Vigilante, right?"

The past day or two had dragged by for the four only occupants of the Midgar Office Prison. Tempers had waned and waxed with startling contrast and Reeve's minor argument with Reno had not been the first, with even Rude losing his disposition at times. The only breaks in the monotony time had to offer came in the guards as they dropped off food and left rapidly, not even making eye-contact with the captives. Talk had been slow but often and Reeve told the Turks in depth what he had heard about the mysterious onyx serpent Sephiroth and Vincent had encountered in their shared vision. Reno's continued contempt for anything relating to AVALANCHE however had lead to the first in many blazing rows ending in sullen silence until the next meal was dropped off through the hatches at the base of their doors. While Rude and Elena listened with baited breath and chatted about the many different things the Vigilante could be, Reno persisted in trying to sleep or totally downsize the entire event.

Many theories had come to the trio, each as bizarre as the other until now it was little more than a source of amusement to tired, lethargic minds. That was why, at Reeve's question the male and female Turks nodded wearily.

"Well perhaps the Vigilante is a WEAPON of sorts!" he exclaimed excitedly but Elena turned her nose up at the idea and gave a somehow worried look to her bald counterpart.

"How do we know that these earthquakes are anything to do with this monster?" she asked to gently disprove his theory, clearing her throat nervously. "Besides, I thought you and your Eco-friends killed all the WEAPONS years ago?"

"I don't think that a creature of that size and power could have been created in half a decade," Rude pointed out hesitantly to Reeve's further dismay. "And Elena's first idea is valid. How _do_ we know the tremors have anything to do with a dream?"

"Oh don't tell me _you_ think it's all nonsense do you?" Reeve cried in grief, but he was unable to read Rude's expression as the Turk occupied the cell next to his own.

Rude shrugged. "As I said before, with Sephiroth around we have to be open-minded. But-"

"What he's thinking is that maybe the Vigilante is a little… well… _too_ open-minded," Elena interrupted coyly and Reeve looked at her in horror.

"Am I the only one who believes this any more??"

"The more we've talked about it, the less likely it's existence has become," Rude sighed apologetically. "We've talked about it being everything from a figment of an overactive imagination to a space alien! Right now, 'imagination' seems the more likely."

"Sephiroth and Jenova were the only things able to induce dreams like the ones your friends shared… probably _ever_," Elena continued. "You guys turned that bitch-alien to sushi five years ago and now Sephiroth's apparently on _our_ side."

"We know nothing about the Vigilante though. Maybe it also has telepathic powers?" Reeve objected hopelessly.

"Reeve, stop hanging onto something just because your friends told you it," sighed a dejected sounding voice to the vice-mayor's left. Elena looked over to Reno's door and saw that her boss had snapped out of his morose trance. Now a haggard expression occupied his face and he seemed to become more tired by the second. Whenever the Vigilante was mentioned by Reeve as he sought to come up with new theories, Reno quickly developed a way to disprove them. 

Although both Rude and Elena had tried hard to keep the executive's hopes alive it was becoming gradually harder as they found themselves swaying to their boss's side in increasing amounts. They swapped anxious looks and inwardly hoped that Reno wasn't going to completely destroy what little faith Reeve had left. Elena swallowed forcefully as she realised such dreams would be futile. Reno no longer cared about what he said any more it seemed. If anything, the thought of getting out if only to prove himself right was one of the few things keeping him sane. Picking sides had always been so easy in the past_. Why is it so hard now_? Elena questioned herself brutally.

"If they told you night was day you'd probably believe it."

"Don't be so ridiculous! I believe it because I trust them. Why the hell would they tell me something if it wasn't true?"

"As an excuse for their _psycho_ friend. I know that if either of these two went nuts I'd make up _any_ whacked-out story to keep them safe," Reno replied emotionlessly.

"Gee, thanks," Elena mumbled dryly under her breath.

She looked over to Reeve and watched as the ex-executive's mouth opened and shut like that of a fish she'd once seen as a girl when it was dragged out into the air and left to die on the floor of a boat. She remembered wanting to get a knife or something to cut off its head or end its suffering and being too much of a wimp to do so. Watching a close friend floundering so badly with all the blood from his face drained she almost felt like a helpless little girl again; unable to pull her eyes away from the suffering of a creature, but unable to stop it as well. For an overwhelming second she felt the incredible urge to run over and hold Reeve. To push her hands over his ears in order to stop Reno's spiteful words cutting into the innocent and trusting soul of the man but being unable to. _It's just like that damned fish all over again_ she thought angrily to herself. 

Blushing furiously at the realisation of what she had been thinking about she turned suddenly and sat on her bed with a dazed expression.

There was a long period of tense, polluted silence between Turk and executive as Reeve found himself utterly confused and overcome with a tumultuous rush of emotion. Swallowing hard he ran a hand through his hair and narrowed his eyes. "Vincent is _not_ a psycho," he growled firmly with an anger and determination which surprised even Rude. 

"Come _on_ Reeve! You've read those personality reports as well as I have! And you know-"

"-More than you do because I've had the pleasure of travelling with that man for two years of my life! It is not my problem if you are only able to see one side of the coin but do _not_ carry your prejudices out into the real world. What Vincent did must have had a cause; he would _not_ have killed those people for the hell of it no matter what you and I have read in the past. Something triggered those emotions in him and the only way to explain that is in the dream he and Sephiroth had. Sephiroth has admitted that they had an argument which will have caused the fit and nothing more was involved. Vincent has changed-"

"-Into an unstable freak with no more control over what he does and becomes than a bomb does over when it's going to explode! The _capacity_ to be what you deny he remains is becoming greater and has been since Hojo did all that science shit on him in the Shinra HQ. I never liked the guy when he at least _resembled_ something human but I admired his emotionlessness and ability to get on with the job in hand. I knew something was different when I saw him as that fucking demon in the HQ when he'd found Cloud. I knew that something was even _more_ different when I saw him in the Sector Three Reactor. Whether you want him to be or not Reeve, he's a cold-hearted son-of-a-bitch who's more of a threat than any phantom snake no matter what your AVALANCHE friends will have you believe. 

"These earthquakes are probably nothing more than disturbances in the Mako because of the Reactor explosion, _you_ know that as well as _I_ do," Reno stated angrily, and despite himself Reeve felt a guilty expression swamp his blotched face and wipe off any signs of his previous rage. He felt glad for the fact that Elena, the only one able to see him, was not present otherwise she'd realise that he _knew _what Reno was saying was true. "I've been killing myself in my head over and over again for all the shit I did when Shinra was in charge. Call me a cliché, but I want to do whatever I can to make some kind of apology to the world. That's why, when I get out of here the first thing I'm gonna do is find Valentine and nail the bastard. I'll stick a stake right through his vampy heart, decapitate him and shove garlic down his neck if that's what I have to do."

"Reno, please-" Reeve began sorrowfully but once again he was cut off without difficulty.

"While we're stuck in here talking about freaky dreams and big snakes he could be out there tearing whole towns to pieces. When I fought AVALANCHE in the past he changed into that thing and had hardly any control over it. He almost tore me to pieces and probably would have if Rude hadn't cast barrier just in time. I escaped with a broken arm and scratches down my back and sides; I still have the scars now. I had only enough blood in my body to keep conscious and nothing more. Turk Vincent was with the cunning and ruthlessness of something evil in a human body. It makes me want to vomit to think what he's like now.!" Reno yelled with a vicious vehemence.

"Is this all about some personal vendetta because he almost killed you in the past?" Reeve asked softly with a futility he knew was more than apparent in his voice.

Sensing the fact that Reeve knew he'd been defeated, Reno calmed himself and drained his words of their venom and fury. "It's not, and you know its not.," he sighed. "As I said before, I want to somehow make amends and I know it can be done by getting rid of one more bad-guy in the world. I'm sorry if that person turns out to be one of your friends, but he certainly ain't one of mine. I've told that moron Cloud that by keeping Vincent around he might as well be pressing a loaded gun up to his temple and pulling the trigger in the chance that it'll misfire. None of your AVALANCHE friends will listen which makes them fools for not accepting what could happen. It looks like I'm the only one prepared to act on what I know to be right. By ignoring what I know as you and your friends are doing, I'll be the biggest loser of all. I realise that he's your friend, and if Rude or Elena started to lose themselves I wouldn't want anyone to start dishing out euthanasia as some kind of fantastic cure. But… with or without your consent I _need_ to do this. I know right from wrong as well as the next guy; I simply chose to not care in the past justifying myself with my work. There's no excuse for him any more and even if it _is_ just to help me deal with my conscience I have to stop him."

For a long time Reno could only hear his heart thumping in his chest and the laboured sound of his breathing as he attempted to calm himself. Instead of feeling better for his fury controlled outburst as he evacuated all hidden rage and hatred, the weight on his mind became heavier. He wondered if he could hear sobs coming from Reeve's direction, but as he held his breath and focused his ears he discerned words from the executive's mumbling.

"I take it this is why you've been so distant around them… ." A sigh. "Just… give him a chance, Reno," a whispered voice beseeched lightly. "I'm begging you not to kill him. He's so screwed up right now he doesn't know a target from an ally. You wouldn't even let him know it was coming. Just wait a while and see him for what he is. Give him a chance."

The plea was so quiet that the flame-haired Turk barely heard it, and when he did, his eyebrows shot up high on his head. He started to object, but swallowing his pride he narrowed his eyes and walked back into his cell, perching on the bed and holding his head in his hands. 

A rush of unfamiliar emotions and thoughts gushed through his soul. In the past, life had been so much simpler; his conscience could be silenced with a few shots of whiskey and a swig of vodka. But now, not all the alcohol in Midgar could numb his brain to the acts he'd committed. Now he was certain that whenever he closed his eyes he could hear the screams of the civilians of Sector Seven as the plate was cast down onto them from above. 

It had all been his fault. He had faced more turmoil over that single event than most others _(Yes, **most** others…)_ but he had coldly reasoned that if _he_ hadn't done it then someone else would have. The pay was too high for him to walk away from and let some other idiot step in and press a button.

__

'Cause that's all it was right…? Pressing a button? I didn't make the bomb for Christ's sake. I didn't come up with the plan or say I agreed with it. I pressed a button… that's all. 

Anyone can press a button; anyone at all… . 

Right…?

Vincent Valentine, the legendary Turk who had disappeared on a mission to Nibelheim which resulted in the creation of a God. Vincent Valentine, the legendary Turk, who previous to Reno, had held the highest death count and took a silent pride in his achievement. Vincent Valentine, the man who would have been Reno's superior had circumstances and time been different.

And Reno O'Mahony, the head of a battered trio of Turks who stood among the sole survivors of Shinra's elite. Reno O'Mahony, murderer of over a million people at the touch of a button. Reno O'Mahony who, if circumstances and time were different would have served under Vincent Valentine.

Reno pulled a grim face. 

Killing Vincent, the 'God of Turks' would be as though he were killing any trace of the Turks organisation; erasing their deeds and very reason for existence. He sighed. Killing Vincent would be like erasing his _own_ deeds…

His line of thought stopped with a jolt however.

__

And destroying **my** very existence and reason for living he reminded himself glumly.

Elena and Rude were like family to him. Rude the brother he never had to talk about women with and get drunk with even if it was only for the sight of the bald Turk slumped in a chair with a swirly moustache drawn on his top lip with permanent marker. And Elena, the caring and argumentative sister he never had the chance to know and love with a reluctant heart as though having any feeling for his younger sister would give him cooties. Without the 'Turk' name what would hold them all together? Sure the comradeship and family-like ties were powerful, but the sudden exposure to a life they'd forgotten involving bills and doing the dishes; meaningless rituals which normal everyday people experienced seemed so unreal and terrifying to him. He realised then how much he needed them near him and understood on another level that they felt the same.

Maybe the Turks meant more to him than he knew. It had been fun to uphold all the laws and play 'spy' like in the movies. But when it came down to it, it was a way of life to him now and one he couldn't live without.

Perhaps killing the Turks wasn't such a great idea. Murdering Vincent would be a way to keep his mind at rest, but destroying what he was would devastate his heart. It was time for him to see that what was in the past had passed and only the future was ahead. AVALANCHE, as much as he hated them, had pushed their prejudices aside in order to lay their arms down and accept him as one of them. _They gave you a_ **_chance_** he heard a voice deep inside tell him and guilt began to rise once more. He had been given a second try to make amends and recreate his life without the destruction of those closest to him. Who was he to deny that of another?

Numbly twirling his scarlet ponytail around a finger he blinked slowly and looked in the direction of Reeve's cell as though he could see through the walls. Clearing his throat, he spoke.

"I'll give Vincent a chance," he said eventually. "But I swear Reeve, one slip-up. One tiny mistake and I'll-"

"Thank you Reno. You'll see, I'm _sure_ you'll see."

Reno's lips pressed together to prevent himself from retorting in any form and he cradled his face in his hands once more. His head was beginning to pound and his mouth was increasingly dry due to the little he'd had to drink. There was far too much time to think and he just knew it was damaging his brain somehow and felt inwardly determined to prove someday how thought was detrimental to health.

He grinned to himself and lay back on the bed with his feet still planted on the steely floor. As he did so, there was the sound of laboured footsteps approaching and he looked up at the small window in his cell door idly. Looking at Jarrad's grinning face as he roughly kicked a plate of mouldy food through the hatch at the base of the door had grown tiresome quickly. Especially when the ex-SOLDIER and Reno's tormentor when he'd first been captured, decided to taunt in his crude and unintelligent way. Being called 'carrot-top' and 'Jerk of a Turk' was not only childish it was damned annoying Reno had decided and he made an indifferent mental note to 'stick his nightstick up the bastard's ass' the next time he had time in his busy schedule. 

He was then surprised to not see the heavy set jaw and bull-like neck of the MP fill the rectangle of light but a quite different sight. A young man peered in at him perhaps only his early twenties with long blonde hair pulled back tightly in a sheer ponytail and a goatee on his chin. The young man's lips turned upwards in one corner into a lopsided smirk and above the somehow emotionless expression glittered startlingly cold blue eyes. 

Reno's face crumpled into a frown as he sat up suddenly.

"Hey, you're the superior of that idiot Jarrad aren't you?" he asked in a rhetorical manner, so certain of his knowledge that he didn't require an answer. "You stopped him from kicking the shit out of me when I was tied up. I owe you one."

The commander said nothing and continued to stare in with his emotionless and yet expressional face.

Reno's eyes narrowed however as he gazed back with intense scrutiny, examining every detail of the visage present to him. A flash of realisation flickered in his mind and he attempted to grasp it without avail and it slipped through his fingers like a formless mist. His mouth opened and shut quickly as he felt as though he was about to say something but found himself unable to dredge up the words. Finally swallowing hard he stood up and walked to the barred entrance to the cramped prison cell.

"I… I _know_ you, don't I? I've _seen_ you somewhere before; I'm certain of it," he murmured. "What's your name? Where do you come from and how did you manage to be a commander when you're only young?"

The meaningless smile slipped hastily slipped off the soldier's face at Reno's questioning, and without a word he turned and started to walk away.

"Hey! Hey come back here!" Reno cried. He pressed his face up against the bars in order to tilt his face and get a view of the man as he moved away. As he caught sight of the commander's back as he disappeared around a corner at the bottom of the H-Wing, he almost screamed out in frustration. "I _do_ know him," he hissed between his teeth. "But who the hell is he…?"

The stilted sound of the commander's footsteps echoed through the tunnel, his prominent limp making quick progress through the metallic labyrinth of the prison difficult… .


	21. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 21 'The Beginning of the End- Goodbye to a Friend'

"It's there," Tifa shivered violently as she extended a trembling hand.

The others lifted their heads and with narrowed eyes stared towards the horizon. Unwilling to blink in case their eyes froze shut through sheer coldness, they looked until water streamed down their faces as the icy wind whipped against their flesh. Although their vision blurred as they diligently scanned across the supposed inhabited grassland, for a second they focused on a flickering light. As quickly as it had appeared, it vanished leaving them wondering if they had fallen for little more than a mirage. As it appeared once more however, they felt a unanimous wave of elation rush through their veins.

"The Chocobo Ranch," Yuffie breathed, a smile stinging her almost numb skin.

"It looks to be a mile, perhaps two away," Sephiroth announced from the back of the line.

Cloud led the five with Cid in the middle and the two women in front and behind him. Their trek had been driven by fear as they constantly felt the eyes of some hidden foe boring into their backs and burning into their very souls. They had marched on regardless of the freezing conditions which tore through their clothing and coarse brown robes; desensitising their extremities and draining their energy. 

They felt waves of joy warm their veins at the sight of the distant light however and pressed on with renewed vigour reaching the fences around the small grouping of farm buildings within half an hour.

"Wh, What do we do now?" Cid asked through chattering teeth. "We can't just knock on the door."

"Of course we can," Cloud responded and the pilot's jaw dropped in surprise as the ex-SOLDIER walked easily up to the house door and began banging gently on the wood. 

"He's gonna get us all caught; I can't fucking believe it!" Cid hissed in horror, leaping into he shadows of an awning. The bright moon beamed down its silvery light but missed the old pilot as he huddled against the whitewashed building in a vain attempt to hide. He motioned frantically for the others to join him but Yuffie and Sephiroth merely exchanged looks of puzzlement.

Tifa whereas moved with a disturbing unconstraint and linked arms with her lover before the converted barn entrance. Seconds later there was the clicking of a bolt unlatching and a rectangle of warm yellow light flooded from a fire into the wintry pasture outside. There was a long pause of terrifying silence, Cid's breath halting in his throat mirroring the faltering pulse of his heart. Yuffie and Sephiroth's muscles tensed and they stood rigidly behind the couple before them staring into an achingly warm room behind an unfamiliar figure. An old man with a snow-white beard which reached to his waist stood with a slight hunch before them framed by the door with a pipe clenched in his teeth. Bright, inquisitive eyes scanned over the four in front of him and a slow, crinkled smile broke across his face.

"Cloud," he exclaimed fondly. "What in blue-blazes are you doin' here?"

"Nice to see you again, Bill," Cloud responded and the two men shook hands amiably. "We need our chocobos."

The old man identified as Bill gave a chuckle and took the pipe from his mouth as he shook his head in mirth. "You young folks certainly don't beat around the bush, do ya? Well, come in and let's talk. It's colder than a white chocobo's first tread on snow out here!"

Cid stepped out of the shadows with an embarrassed shuffle as those before him started to walk warily into the house. Chocobo Bill stood to one side to allow them passage and shut the door behind them as they huddled in the centre of the large room.

"Make yourselves comfy; I'll boil up some water and you can have some tea or coffee. Or if you'd prefer something stronger then that's more than alright," the old man's voice trailed off but he grinned at Cid and the pilot grinned back.

"I'll have a shot of whiskey," he announced and with a nod Bill left the room and went to where they presumed his kitchen was.

As the old man started to hum to himself, the oddly haunting sound echoing eerily through the rafters of the ancient structure, AVALANCHE turned to one-another. "How do you know the old guy, Cloud?" Yuffie was the first to ask.

"In the SP we sometimes came as far out as the marshes near the Mythril Mines to kill off monsters. There was a dragon wandering these plains a year or two back and it ate some of Bill's best birds. I put a stop to it and we've been friends ever since," the leader explained. "He hasn't got much time for outsiders and 'Big City Folks'", he chuckled, mimicking the twangy accent of the farmer. "So I know we can trust him. It's only because of the favours I've done for him the past that he's so kind to us now. He's pretty forgetful but will help us as much as he can."

"A useful ally," Sephiroth commented. "It's fortunate you know him so well."

"Do you think he'll let us take some birds?" Cid asked as he slumped down on a ragged but oddly comfortable couch. He lay his brown cloak over his legs like a blanket and put his hands behind his head. Yuffie perched next to him and Tifa sat opposite the ninja on the other side of the relaxed pilot. 

Cloud moved over to sit on the floor between the woman's legs, shedding his own coarse cloak as he did so. "I don't see why not. Technically they _are_ ours even though we told him he could have them."

Cid nodded and glanced up as Bill shuffled into the room supporting a tray holding mugs and two pots; coffee and tea. The ranch owner set down the items on a small table and handed Cid a shot glass of whiskey. He sat down himself in an old armchair adjacent to the couch and poured himself a mug of tea, indicating for the others gathered to do likewise.

"So you want some chocobos, huh?" He asked openly once they were suitably relaxed. Cloud nodded over a mug of steaming coffee, sipping from it and warming his hands at the same time before replying.

"We need to get to Junon within the next day or two."

"Really? What's the hurry?" Bill inquired curiously.

Yuffie raised her eyebrows and looked at Tifa who gave her a silencing look and tried to appear normal in front of the farmer's ignorance of the world around him. Cloud squirmed awkwardly and the old farmer watched the group with a peculiar smile, small eyes glittering in good humour.

"Sorry," he apologised bizarrely and they looked at him. "I was joking of course. Anyone who lives on this continent has heard about all the ruckus down in Midgar and about the fireworks you folks have been settin' off."

"But that wasn't us!" Cid objected loudly but Bill only laughed.

"I don't care whether you did or not, an' if you ask me I'd wager my best choc you didn't. You all look like you need a good sleep and feedin'. Feel free to use my house to stay in for as long as you want. I haven't had a visitor this way for months and I'm takin' two young green birds up to Kalm on the morrow. An' if anyone asks, I ain't seen you," Bill said with a degree of firmness which made them realise they didn't have a choice in the matter.

Grateful smiles brushed over their faces and they nodded thankfully. "You're too kind," Tifa beamed as she settled further back on the couch.

The old man waved his hand dismissively and started to walk out the room. "I'm gonna hit the hay now. I'll be up bright and early so I probably won't see y'all." He paused as he reached a doorway and glanced back at the rabble. "You might wanna turn on the radio. I'm presumin' you've been on the run for the past few days and won't have heard the news."

He disappeared from view and the group of five exchanged puzzled glances. "News? What news?" Cid asked with a frown and Sephiroth shrugged as he leant over the back of the armchair to switch on an ancient looking apparatus. He clicked a button and a murmured sound hummed from it and filled the equally old room. He swivelled a dial for a few seconds and the noise increased until everyone could hear it comfortably and sat down himself on the chair.

"…however, accounts are vague and no information has been volunteered from the public concerning the event. The Midgar Police Force are hoping to apprehend prime suspects concerned with the raiding believed to have begun in Sectors Four and Five.

"The time is now 6 AM, Midgar Standard time. Now for the main stories which have been in the headlines for the past week," a female reporter droned in an irritatingly nasal tone.

"As of yet no trace has been found of the fugitives 'AVALANCHE' who have been found responsible for explosions at the top of the old Shinra HQ and Reactor Three late last month-"

The monotonous tone of the female newsreader's voice was interrupted as Cid's eyes bulged and he let out a string of expletives. "No wonder the damned world is up in arms if the media are spreading such shit about us! Sure we were _there_, but that proves nothing!"

"Cid, it's like we said from the very start. People are scared and confused and they need scapegoats. We were seen at both events so people will just blame us for them because it comes naturally," Tifa soothed, placing a hand on the pilot's arm to pull him down. His skin was blotched an angry red and he looked as though he was about to stand and tear the radio from the socket. Taking a few deep breaths however, he leant back once more and muttered curses under his breath.

"… People involved with the group have been called in for questioning including neighbours and employees.

"As well as the destruction of two of Midgar's most well known structures, the raging creature which broke out from the terrorist's home has been linked strongly to their presence. Sources state that it had been seen in the area before the event supposedly 'speaking' to AVALANCHE members. Later sightings of the beast since it's departure from the city involve eye-witness accounts from near Kalm and vague stories have filtered exclusively to MFM News of a strange flying 'thing' near Costa del Sol earlier this week…"

Yuffie gasped with delight and the others gave audible sighs of relief. 

"At least Vincent's alright," Cloud breathed. "He must have been going to the Nibelheim Mansion to find a cure or something."

"… And dramatic news just in listeners!" The reader squeaked in contrast to her previous, lifeless tone. Any conversations the group had been having stopped hesitantly at the sound as they tuned their ears to the wooden box in a corner of the room. Leaning forward, their breaths were baited in fear of the worst they hung on every syllable she uttered.

"In a statement issued from the Midgar Offices by Mayor Redford's _own hand_ ladies and gentlemen we have information presented solely to MFM News, your first choice for groundbreaking event coverage!

"According to an, or should that be _the_ official source," she giggled excitedly and Sephiroth frowned in annoyance, a reaction shared by the others. "We can confirm that at midnight two days ago Vice Mayor Reeve Jameson and his bodyguards, the 'Turks' were arrested on a charge of Treason against the city of Midgar!"

Stunned silence pounced on the five.

"Numerous sources, the most notably being an anonymous tipster, allowed investigators to find the Vice Mayor and the Turks responsible for hiding AVALANCHE and providing them with passage from the city! Conclusive proof has been produced only reaffirming their role in the disappearances of the Eco-terrorists. Although motives are uncertain, it is generally believed that Reeve was involved with AVALANCHE when Neo-Midgar was originally being built. His stance against the use of Mako and AVALANCHE's view on the very existence of reactors was widely known. Current theories of their motives involve the Vice-Mayor giving AVALANCHE the means with which to destroy the old Mako reactors so that he could claim insurance. It is believed the collateral to be gained from the staged tragedies will run into countless millions. It has not yet been confirmed that Reeve Jameson was intending on transferring the cash to a hidden bank account and flee but computer experts based at the MOMP HQ are working on it. 

"The three Turks, Reno O'Mahony, Elena Karloff and Rude Feuerbach, past employees of Shinra, are being held in connection to the events. They have been charged with conspiring with all parties involved and even developing plans of their own to help their boss. 

"The four prisoners have been found guilty beyond doubt of all charges and for the first time in four years, a live, public execution shall be taking place at 4PM, Midgar standard time tomorrow afternoon. Security shall be tight so it is unsure whether spectators will be allowed to view the event first-hand. This reporter believes that public desire to see the four biggest murderers for almost two hundred years brought to justice shall be so great that no amount of force will be able to hold them back! Stay tuned for more details.

"No statements have yet been issued concerning the bizarre earthquakes which have been rocking the city since 9PM last night. MFM's own science correspondent believes that it is a side-effect of the devastating Mako blasts set off when Reactor Three was blown up almost a fortnight ago. What we can say for certain however is that the tremors _are_ getting stronger pushing almost five on the Richter scale. It is unsure how the Offices will deal with any problems arising from the unnatural occurrences but experts urge the public to remain calm and listen to their radio in order to be told immediately of any emergency measures…"

"Turn it off," Cloud said in a dangerously low tone and Sephiroth reached back to the box and silenced the incessantly annoying voice of the female reporter. Without the noise, their only link to the place they had left behind, a soundless void drained any life from the vast room. 

They didn't even make eye contact any more; it seemed too painful to reminded of the existence of other people. If they simply kept their breathing quiet and their gaze fixed to the floor they unanimously felt as though they could shun the outside world and sink into their own minds. It would've been so much easier; it would have been so much more peaceful to slip into oblivion for the sake of never worrying or even being aware of the world outside.

A tear slipped down Yuffie's cheek and she blinked hard to take back her outward show of depression. It was too hard; it was far too hard. Running away was meant to be the simplest option, leaving all troubles and taking all that you can't leave behind. But why wasn't it like that? Now they were being chased by their own guilt across the world with the weight of the universe on their shoulders. Damnit! Why did it have to hurt so much?? 

She threw her brown cloak to one side and leapt to her feet. "They're going to die!" She cried, tears now falling freely down her face; a face which had aged so much over the past month. "We've gone and now they're going to die! We have to go back!"

Cloud stood up. His face had been the epitome of seething fury for the past few silent minutes but as the young woman wept passionately before him he felt it melt away as remorse and pity swamped his heart. "We… we can't go back now, Yuffie," he told her quietly and with eyes burning through hot tears she glared at him.

"Why the hell not??" She burst out but Cloud stood with a look of impassive compassion on his face, revealing nothing of his own inner torment.

"We could never get back there in time. We'd have to sneak in through back routes, find disguises and probably climb through the sewers all over again," he replied softly and her rigid frame relaxed marginally. "If we go to Midgar, what could we do? We'd be caught and executed with them. It's just like Cait, Yuffie. He died so that we could escape. The Turks will get Reeve out, I'm certain of it. But if they don't… we have to remember that what we've done, we did because we had no choice. If we could go back in time I don't think we'd would change anything."

Yuffie collapsed onto her knees and bent over with her palms on the rough wooden floor. She watched as a couple of tears fell from her faces and landed on the old grain, soaking into the wood and fading forever from her view. What other hidden shocks did life had to throw at her? What other trials would be sent her way to see how long she could withstand them and keep her fragile soul in one piece? It was eating her from the inside out and she could feel her innocence slowly slipping from her grasp with a slowness that was as frustrating as it was terrifying.

__

You're going to take me away bit by bit, are you? She confronted whatever powers could hear her thoughts. She clenched her fists and screwed her eyes up tightly. _If you're going to ruin me then at least do it quickly. Then at least I won't even be conscious it's happened. Just please, don't put me through what you did Vincent. I can't face the thought of losing myself like a tree loses leaves; a few every day. I don't want to be here any more. I don't want to feel myself and my friends disappearing and losing touch. Please… ._

"Yuffie…?"

The young woman opened her eyes slowly and looked up. Cloud had crouched down on one knee before her and had placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly and she gave a single, mute nod. He helped her to stand and she did so on trembling legs.

"I, I think I'm going to go to sleep now," she replied emotionlessly and the ex-SOLDIER gave a simple nod. 

"We could all use the rest," he confided quietly. "The sooner we get to sleep, the sooner we can leave tomorrow."

The others made no move to answer so he sat back down on the floor near Tifa who wrung her hands worriedly. Yuffie stood in awkward reticence for a few more minutes before slumping back down next to Cid once more. The pilot flashed her what he hoped was a reassuring smile, but she looked dumbly at him and turned back to the floor. He sighed deeply and pulled his cloak further up around his waist, squirming uncomfortably in the tense atmosphere. He wanted to desperately light a cigarette and exhale away his anxiety, but the closeness of his friends and their sensitive dispositions would only be worsened by such an action. Unable to do anything else, he lay his head back on the couch headrest and closed his eyes.

It wasn't long before he slipped into delicious unconsciousness, even if it was only for a few hours.

"Rise and shine sleeping beauty!"

Reno's eyes opened hesitantly and his body tried to disguise the fact it had stirred with the noise. He didn't blame it; his head felt as though it were stuffed with cotton wool and his muscles throbbed painfully. He licked his dry lips uselessly, only making himself feel thirstier with the action. How long had it been since he'd had a drink; alcoholic or otherwise?

There was the sound of keys jangling in the distance, suddenly becoming closer as a lock clicked and the creak of old rust screeched loudly in the confined cell. His eyes shut quickly as harsh, electric light flooded into the metallic chamber bleaching his vision and wiping his mind. He would've stayed like that quite happily for a long time if he could have, but a rough yank on his left arm persuaded him of otherwise. His lids snapped open and a brilliant aquamarine gaze glared at the person who had dared disturb him. He gave an audible moan as they focused on a long silver scar carving down the left-hand side of a bullish face; piggy-eyes gleaming at him wickedly from beneath a Neanderthallic brow.

"Oh fucking marvellous," he exclaimed sarcastically. "You're the first thing I want to see when I wake up in a prison cell."

Jarrad Reed, Reno's inquisitor grinned stupidly at the reaction and persisted to pull the flame-haired Turk to his feet. Reno shoved him away and stood on his own, arrogantly attempting to straighten out his jacket and shirt.

"What else do you want to know?" he sighed irritatedly. "I seem to remember how successful your first attempt at interrogation was so there's probably a lot."

"On the contrary, Pretty Boy," Jarrad grinned. "You've done all you can. You just keep on dustin' down your clothes like that. A lot of people are gonna be seeing you soon."

Reno stopped tightening the knot on his thin, black tie and looked at his captor suspiciously. "_Now_ what are you talking about?"

Jarrad wagged a thick index finger in a taunting fashion, shaking his head. "Nuh-uh, Jerk," he replied. "I'm not telling you anythin'. You do what _I_ tell you to now. I may not be allowed to kill ya, but I can certainly put a few ugly bruises on that girly face of yours."

Reno's frown deepened at the insult, but the disturbing cheerfulness in the ex-SOLDIER's voice worried him to a greater degree. Pulling himself up aloofly he was well aware that he was still a couple of inches below the height of the muscle-brained idiot. He muttered angrily to himself mentally. _Stop trying to look tough and intimidate him; that's Rude's job. You just look plain pathetic_ he admonished. _Use your brains; the guy's obviously thicker than pig-shit and you tricked him into spilling his guts before. How hard can it be to do that again…?_

"Look," he sighed, slumping and taking an overall different approach. "You clearly have the upper hand and while you're here there's no chance in hell I can escape. You're much stronger than I am and I'm defenceless." He paused suddenly and his eyes flickered as they widened alarmingly for a heartbeat. _Oh shit, he might think I'm trying to come onto him!!_

"Er, I, I mean not for the want of trying," he added hastily. "I _would've_ busted out by now if I wanted to but even _I_ know when to quit. So c'mon, what are you gonna do with me now?"_ … you big hunk of manhood._ He burst into internal laughter and fought the hardest battle of his life to prevent himself from collapsing into hysterics. Jarrad seemed to not notice the fact he was being blatantly flattered for another cause and leant up against the doorframe with a smug look on his face.

"Well who'd have thought that one of Rufus' little lapdogs would be beggin' for mercy from a lowly Third Class SOLDIER, huh?" He smirked.

"Certainly not me, that's for sure," Reno answered with a shrug. "But I guess that's the way life goes. … So what _are_ you doing with me?"

Jarrad basked in his praise for a few more seconds more before turning to the leader of the Turks at a leisurely pace. "Not that it really matters, but you're all about to get your Just Desserts."

"'Just Desserts?" Reno repeated uncertainly. His face mirroring his confusion, he looked back up at his captor. 

Jarrad burst into brutish laughter and walked forward producing a pair of handcuffs from the back of his belt. Reno turned around holding his hands behind his back in the hope of a response, but it was only when the tight metal bands had snapped around his wrists was his answer clarified.

"The city is about to get its revenge for all the shit you've been doin' recently," the MP explained. "There were a lot of rumours flyin' around over the past few days about what the Mayor was gonna do to you bunch of pricks, but none of us thought he'd have the balls to do what we wanted him to do." He stopped and dragged Reno out into he corridor, shoving him down the tunnel towards the corner. "But looks can be deceivin'. I guess you lot know that more than we do."

"Can you get to the point?" Reno muttered under his breath as he turned the bend and began to walk down a new wing, 'G' painted on the walls in the same gaudy yellow as the 'H' of the block he had inhabited for his time in imprisonment. 

"Well, looks like the whole 'eye for an eye' thing is back in fashion," Jarrad chuckled.

At that point there was an explosion as though a bolt of lightning had torn through the narrow tunnel. The Turk stumbled and fell to the floor on his face as the floor rocked beneath his feet. Dazed from the completely unexpected movement, Reno lay winded for a few seconds; his whole body pressed up against the floor, he felt the tremendous tremors as they gradually faded away. That quake had made the ones he'd felt when awake before seem like little more than speed bumps driven over in a Shinra truck. 

When the rumbling had subsided, he rolled onto his back and looked up at the MP. Jarrad was staring around with a comically stupefied expression, his mouth hanging open and eyes almost on stalks. Reno would've laughed, but in truth it felt as though he'd broken a rib and any sharp movements could pierce a lung or any other vital organ he didn't particularly want damaging. Jarrad said nothing, but eventually looked down at the floored, blue-suited Turk and gave another chuckle. 

He didn't remove his sickening smile as he picked up the fiery man by the handcuffs and pushed him forward once more. "I used to like the old Shinra way of runnin' things. You did somethin' bad you got punished. You did somethin' _really_ bad, you got your head kicked in. You want to know what's gonna happen to you? Let's just say you've been really, _really_ bad," Jarrad roared with laughter and Reno stopped abruptly to face his tormentor half stunned at the man's ability to dismiss the earthquake so lightly, and also shocked at the response he had been given.

"Are you telling me in Idiot's Language what I think you are?" he asked curtly.

"If what your thinkin' is that you're about to meet your Maker, then yeah!" Jarrad sniggered, exposing brown teeth and blowing a gust of foul hot breath over the Turk.

Reno felt suddenly very ill and he knew deep down it wasn't due to the man's poor dental health. He was about to be executed? Shit. How fucking unfair was that? Sure he'd done things and now that he was starting to feel sorry for them, he was going to lose all his breathing privileges. If his hands weren't bound behind his back, he would've turned and punched the wall and then cleaned the self-satisfied look of superiority off Jarrad's bull-face. As it stood, he was truly helpless and being led like a lamb to the slaughter.

He snarled and turned away to look down the labyrinth towards the exit of the entire underground prison complex, a feeling of pure defeat overwhelming him. He blinked hard to fight back any emotions which dared to shatter his angry, impassive exterior and took a deep breath. "Let's get this over with," he growled as he began to walk forwards. Jarrad stared after him, his brain overwhelmed by the fact his captive was walking willingly to his death. He blinked hard, and after a second's thought seemed to realise that his presence was needed and a prisoner walking himself to the gas chamber certainly wasn't normal.

"Hey! Hey, carrot-top!" he called as Reno turned another corner. "Get back here!!"

As Reno was guided through the maze of metal corridors his mind went past with every line of rivets and every flickering fluorescent bulb. The whole set up reminded him sickeningly of the prison floor of the Shinra HQ. Having designed the underground jail of the Midgar Offices he realised now how much the old place had meant to him. Enough for it to be imbedded in his subconscious at any rate.

There was a final turn and he was pushed roughly up the only stairway in the whole floor to the others. Counting doors as he passed them, Reno realised with a distinct lack of interest that when they finally left the spiralling climb they were on the First Floor. Burnished steel gave away to plaster art deco and red carpets. Footsteps ceased ringing hollowly against shiny walls and were instead swallowed by the thick, luxurious floor covering. He wished that they weren't; at that moment in time the sound of his constant steps reminded him that he was still alive. Now he didn't even have that privilege and he mentally remarked at how blood-like the rich colour was. 

Why had he never noticed colours before? Why had they always just 'been there'? Things in the background to make stuff look nice or drab. His suit was blue, right?

He looked down at his feet and watched as the scuffed black shoes moved forward attached to his body by lines of a royal blue. Except the supposedly neat and business-like trousers of the Turk suit were covered in brown smudges. The hems were stained almost green from the sludge in the old sewerage systems he'd been down before his untimely capture. As he glanced at his shirt, the bottom was almost grey from dirt. _I should really tuck it in_ he mused numbly and a smirk touched his face. _What a time to suddenly care about my appearance._

Jarrad suddenly grabbed the handcuffs chained to his wrists and Reno was jolted back painfully, the metal rings cutting so far into his skin that he felt a warm substance trickle through his fingers. He was turned around to face a doorway. It was wooden with a gold door handle like most others in the building but without a plaque or notice of any kind on it. He felt a foul smell rush his nostrils and humid, hot air blown against his ear.

"Almost the end of the line for you, Jerk," Jarrad said menacingly. "Your friends are in here. There aren't any guards or soldiers 'cos they're all outside trying to hold back the crowds from rushin' in here and kicking your brains out. Through the wall in there are about fifty-thousand people ready to watch you get gassed. There're journalists and cameras on every spare patch of road and snipers in every window.

"In other words, if you so much as turn too fast you're gonna be filled with so many holes, you'll put a window to shame." Although Reno couldn't see the MP he detected a grin in his voice. Utter hatred swamped him but the very futility of his situation quenched any violent fires and he merely clenched his jaw and stood completely still. Jarrad reached over the Turk's shoulder and pushed open the door, shoving him unceremoniously through.

Reno fell onto one knee and the door slammed shut behind him. Slowly lifting his head, he found himself looking up at Rude. Reviewing his position he burst out laughing.

"I hope you don't think I'm gonna propose. You're going to be disappointed!" he laughed and a smile graced Rude's features.

"You're not my type," the stoic Turk replied quite seriously and he helped his boss stand. 

Reno looked around at the others in the room. Rude now stood by his side while Reeve and Elena sat together beside a slatted window looking down onto the street. Reno glanced at his generally silent companion questioningly, receiving an indicating nod in response. Twisting his bloody wrists in the handcuffs in an absent hope to loosen them, the fiery Turk walked over to the window to one side of Elena. 

He gagged on his own breath at the sight which befell him. Thousands, upon thousands of people stood like an unimaginably huge coloured carpet, swarming over the main street. Overcome, he pushed his forehead up against the transparent screen and jerked back in shock as he felt it tremble. This was nothing like the unexpected movement of the quakes; it was constant and much less violent.

"It's a soundproof room," Elena informed him when he stared suspiciously at the window. "Reeve says that it's probably shaking because of the noise people are making outside."

__

Oh 'Reeve says', does he? Reno imitated childishly in his mind. Realising what an oddly pathetic thing he'd done, he looked away guiltily and blamed it on the stress he was under. Elena looked at him questioningly but he didn't bother to meet her gaze and sat down on a couch pushed up against one of the walls. He winced and a gasp of pain escaped his lips as he felt his broken rib twist under the movement.

Elena hurried over to him, a look of worry on her face. For the first time since Reno had entered the room, Reeve looked over at him; a haggard and weary expression covering his normally cheerful front.

"Are you okay?" The female Turk asked Reno when she sat next to him.

He nodded feebly in response, holding his breath in the fear that if he let it out, it would betray how he truly felt. "I'll be fine," he answered, unable to restrain himself any longer. "I won't have to worry about it for too long anyway, will I?" he added humourlessly, a grim smile touching his lips and Elena's eyes flickered in alarm as she thought she saw the face of death grin tauntingly at her from the fiery Turk.

"Please don't talk like that," she begged him weakly, clearly feeling the same as he did but hoping to instil some comfort in him nonetheless.

"You haven't got any handcuffs on," Reno replied on a completely different tangent. She looked at him in pure confusion, unable to understand the sudden change in subject. Jolting her mind back into the conversation she looked down at her hands which rested limply on her lap.

"Oh, er, I suppose I don't. They didn't leave mine on when they put me in here."

"Mine either," Rude piped in as he held up his hands to prove his point. Reeve did likewise, but said nothing and turned back to the street outside.

Frowning, Reno moved his lips closer to Elena's ear. "What's wrong with Reeve?" 

He watched, momentarily taken aback as a look of deep concern washed over her face. She blinked slowly, long eyelashes obscuring chocolate brown eyes for a second as she watched the executive's silhouette in intense sorrow. It suddenly hardened however as she turned back to Reno and he wondered why he felt a twinge of sadness in his own heart as he observed her subtle reaction to his question.

"He's just overwhelmed by it all," she confided quietly. "Down in that cell none of us had to even _consider_ this happening. Now it is though… he just can't make it sink in. I've tried talking to him but he hasn't said a word since Rude and I were brought in here with him."

Surprised at his own reaction, Reno nodded in a disturbingly understanding way. She forced a smile as she tousled his hair in an unfamiliarly fond way. A puzzled smile found its way onto his own features as she turned and walked back over to Reeve.

He looked back up at Rude and watched him as he slipped off his sunglasses and wiped them on the hem of his tailored, blue jacket. He gave a chuckle as he noticed the tall man give a deep sigh and then push his shades back on.

"Help me up, will ya?" Reno asked his friend and Rude pulled him to his feet once more.

"Why do _you_ still have your handcuffs on?" 

Reno blinked in bewilderment and then seemed to realise that his hands were indeed still bound behind his back. The remembrance brought fresh pain and he felt more liquid slip through his fingers. He cringed. "That bastard of a Third Class SOLDIER didn't take them off. Stupid prick probably wanted me to suffer for my last few hours of life."

"I don't think we even have _an_ hour," Rude replied with an uncharacteristically depressed tone.

Reno smirked. "What's makin' you sad?"

A similar grin found it's way somehow onto the taller Turk's face. "No more beer," he answered simply and Reno burst out laughing.

"Vodka," he sighed eventually.

"Whiskey."

"Tequila."

"Wine."

"Red or white?"

"Definitely white." Rude laughed. "Never did like dry wine much."

Reno nodded with an absurd seriousness. "Vintage?"

"Older the better," Rude replied and both the men gave simultaneous signs of approving. 

"Are you two alcoholics intending on talking about drink all the way up to the chamber?" Elena asked with a falsely mature tone, a smile breaking out on her lips.

In response, Rude pretended to hold a microphone before his face. He looked down at it and put one hand on his hips. "And here we have the head of the Turk organisation, Reno O'Mahony. Mr O'Mahony, you are about to become a Past Tense Person and as such, would you care to say anything to the people of Midgar?"

Reno cleared his throat, his eyes darting around like a camera-shy villager as Rude held out the 'microphone' to him. "Uh… yeah. There is something I'd like to say actually. It's been traumatising me for a real long time now."

"And what would that be?"

"That you stupid _fuckwits_ went and blew up the only decent bar in town!!" Reno yelled.

They didn't have the time to laugh as all of a sudden the floor bowed and threw them into the air, sucking the oxygen from their lungs as they slammed against the walls. A fraction of a second later, they were hurled onto the carpet which felt considerably less softer than it had been under their feet. With unanimous moans they slowly stirred as the rattling of the blind against the windowpane faded away and the furniture came to rest, all pushed up against a single wall. 

"Holy shit," Elena gasped in an unusually crass manner as she propped herself up on her elbows, blonde hair sticking out wildly from all possible angles. "They're getting so much stronger. I think something's going to happen."

"What? Like the city is about to shake itself to the ground or something?" Reno asked in a semi-sarcastic tone of voice.

"The Lifestream must be really screwed up after those reactor explosions for the earthquakes to be getting so strong," Rude commented as, for the third time in less than ten minutes, he straightened Reno out.

"No."

The three Turks looked over to Reeve. The once Vice-Mayor was staring in a glazed fashion out of the window again. His gaze had lifted from the scene below to the sky which is where the trio found their own eyes drawn towards as they walked over to him. They said nothing between them; no words had to be said. The limitless heavens which, barely a minute ago had been a pure, crystalline blue, had rotted into the foulest and most acrid green they had ever seen before. It reminded Reno of the colour of the bottom of his trousers, only somehow… deader. It appeared as though it had spread from the sky above what was left of the Shinra HQ and was radiating outwards to smother the city. As they watched the poison cloud, it seeped over what 'healthy' coloured sky they could see, obscuring every patch of blue with the same, murky tint.

As they stared in sick silence, there was a click behind them. Literally dragging themselves from the disturbing sight, they twisted around to face the door they had all entered through; it was one of two doors in the room, the other being at a right-angle to it. Two MPs held undoubtedly loaded pistols and aimed wildly in the directions of the four. Seemingly satisfied that the utterly impassive figures, one of them chronically bound, posed no threat, one of them looked around the open doorway and made a gesture with his hand. Moments later, a new figure entered. 

He was a man who was well into his sixties with an emaciated appearance; Reno felt that he could easily snap him in half with one hand. He had wisps of grey hair on a liver-spot smattered head and thin, purple tinted lips. He wore a pin striped, grey suit which hung off his coat-hanger-like shoulders; his short stature only made him seem more like a stick wearing a poorly fitting handkerchief. A gaudy red cape hung from his shoulders limply; its hem brushing on the floor.

Although the three Turks stared with a completely unimpressed and even pitying look on their faces, Reeve seemed totally in awe and respect. "Mayor Redford," he started with a degree of reverence. "I'm so glad to see you. Please, you _know_ me. You know how much the city means to me so must realise that I'd never do any of the things that I've been accused of!"

"Reeve, do not lower yourself any more in my opinion by resorting to begging," Mayor Bret Redford responded. Despite his ancient, withered front his voice was deep and booming; it took a tone that oozed authority. "I must admit that I thought Midgar was your life, but money can do strange things to a man. The most recent theories point to the fact that you blew up the old HQ and Reactor Two in order to claim insurance on them and flee the city. It was clear that you were in league with AVALANCHE by the very fact you aided their escape when it was known they were the destroyers of millions of lives."

"I told my interrogator that they had nothing to do with those explosions-"

"It matters not what you said. The facts have been lain out before us and you have all been found guilty. Rest assured, when we finally catch up with your friends they shall be put on trial and condemned to the same fate as you."

"You've already decided what verdict you're gonna have??" Reno exclaimed. "I'm sorry Your Honour but you're talking crap! You'd don't know shit about what the hell we've been going through recently, and you're prepared to stand there with all your pomp and circumstance claiming to know all the answers??"

One of the MPs stepped forward, but the Mayor held up a skeletal hand, and the man fell back into place. He didn't even acknowledge Reno's outburst as he stared at the person who had once been his advisor and deputy. "Reeve, I'm prepared to give you a choice," he revealed.

"…What?" the Vice-Mayor asked with noticeable trepidation. 

"Stand up, tell the people of Midgar that you were forced into what you did. Tell them that you were involved but it was against your will."

Reno almost screamed out in rage, but both Rude and Elena held him firmly back, clamping their hands over his mouth. 

"And how do I convince them of that?" Reeve asked with perhaps too much curiosity for Elena to feel comfortable with and she gave a worried look. However, with his back facing her, Reeve took a step forward towards the Mayor and tilted his head to one side.

A crinkled, triumphant smile broke out on Bret Redford's face. "You were kidnapped; you say that it was those three that did it. They tortured you and told you that if you didn't comply to their whims then they'd blow up _all_ the Reactors. You wanted to tell the public, but were unable to. The only way you could get us to know would be by getting yourself and your tormentors' caught. It made it appear as though you were guilty, but our interrogators eventually uncovered the truth and you have been given a full pardon to resume duties immediately."

"… So what's in it for me?"

"You get to keep your life," the Mayor answered curtly.

Reeve half-turned to his three companions but didn't make eye contact with any of them. "And what about the Turks?"

"We need to have some kind of a show for the people who've arrived. They're expecting an execution and they will get one."

Reeve stared at the Mayor, his face blank and expressionless. Suddenly, with a movement that shocked himself, his right hand flew up, his fingers clenched and he punched the old man directly on the face. The controller of the largest city on the face of the Planet fell back onto the floor with a satisfying thump and the three suited men who stood behind the executive cheered loudly.

For Reeve's reward however, he was pistol-whipped as one of the MPs hit him across the jaw with the handle of his gun. He stumbled back and was caught by Rude. But as he felt a large purple bruise swell up on his face, he wore the biggest grin of his life over his messy, un-groomed goatee.

"AND NOW LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FOR THE EVENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR…!"

Reno cringed as he stepped out onto the roof of the Midgar Offices only to be bathed with the eerie green glow of the skies and the sick exclamations of the tannoy announcer. To his deep disgust, a cheer arose from the mass assembled many metres below him, crowding the main street of Sector Three. He was almost deafened by the cacophonous sound; it drowned out his senses and in a moment of panic he almost felt like just running. However, even the slightest glance towards a window of one of the houses opposite him showed light glinting off the barrels of sniper guns. Jarrad hadn't been exaggerating with his threat. If any one of the four so much as turned too fast they'd be shot by a thousand different bullets coming from a thousand different directions. 

He felt a very large pit open up in his stomach.

Tilting his face up to the sky his eyes focused on the mass of green wash which looked like a stagnant swamp in the heavens. 

He'd tried to do good, really he had. In fact… _no_ he realised. 

He hadn't. 

He'd never helped an old lady across the road, never stopped kids picking on an old dog; if anything he was normally helping them. He'd lectured Cloud on the evil that was Vincent Valentine, but had he himself been any better? He'd killed thousands, no; _millions_ with the destruction of Sector Seven all those years ago. Every time he blinked though, every time he thought he was alone, just one of those voices would scream at him. They weren't calling him a murderer; they weren't condemning him to hell. They were pleading. They were begging to be saved and he did nothing. More to the point, he could no longer do _anything_.

Over the past few years he'd cleaned up his ways, even started drinking less. There wasn't much reason to drink as religiously as he once had. He had those screams to numb his brain to the world around him; who needed alcohol? _Maybe this is what Valentine feels like,_ he pondered idly. _Here I am thinking about all those people when I'd probably never met a single one of them. Here he is trying to do right something which happened to him and the one person who he was closest to. That's worse, right? After all, I pushed a button. He practically pulled the trigger… ._

Meditating on that fact, he raised his eyes and looked up before him. He trailed at the back of the line with Rude at the front. Between the two male Turks walked both Reeve and Elena, side by side. He felt that damned twinge of emotion again in his throat, but what the hell was it? Sorrow… it was definitely sorrow, but why? 

He shook his head. He didn't love Elena, he knew that much for certain. It was just never meant to be. They were far too much like brother and sister and it would be sick to even think of anything happening between them. He gave a sigh and to his amazement found a slight smile playing on his lips. It wasn't anything like the contemptuous smirk which had become something like a trademark to him; it was an expression of genuine happiness and warmth. He almost hid it and attempted to straighten himself out in order to give Midgar the sight of the murderer they wanted to see so badly, but decided against it. He was about to become a full-time Poppy-Pusher in less then ten minutes so why should he try and act all macho? If he really felt like it, he decided there and then, he'd probably sing and do a little dance all the way up to the gas chamber.

The smile broadened as his gaze once more wandered to the female Turk and ex-Shinra executive before him. He felt sorrow, sure, but it wasn't for any reason which came immediately to him. It had taken a bit more thought but he realised then that he finally understood. Elena and Reeve had been getting so much closer over the past few years that he'd have to be blind not to notice the chemistry between them. He'd never admit it to his female counterpart, but that night when Reeve had wept to himself in his office over the death of Cait Sith, he'd watched as she knelt down and comforted the Vice-Mayor. Just as he'd never tell anyone of the many times she'd gazed for hours on end in the executive's direction, hanging on his every word whilst he practised his many speeches to the trio. Both the leader of the Turks and Rude had made a secret pact to keep each other awake in the full knowledge that practise sessions could be anything from one to five hours long. Elena needed no such stimulus and absorbed everything he said with a childlike wonder. 

Reno's smile slipped off his face and his mouth became a thin, white line as he pressed his lips together. The joy of his delayed comprehension had worn off and now the odd sorrow washed over him again. He didn't care about himself; hell, he was even starting to wonder exactly what dance he was going to do up the steps to the gas chamber and whether asking the MPs to conga in with him would work. The sorrow he felt was for his friends, but especially the couple who walked closely together before him. Elena _was_ like the younger sibling he'd never had and as such, although he'd reprimanded and teased her on every possible occasion, deep down he'd only ever wanted her to be safe and lead a happy life. Fat chance of that happening now they were nothing more than dead men walking. She'd never get the chance to act on the impulses he was sure she felt; she'd never have the opportunity to turn around and say "Look Reeve, we've been friends for so long now but there's something I need to tell you…". And he'd never get to know what it would be like to be an 'uncle'. 

And boy did that suck ass… .

"Sorry," Elena murmured as she stumbled without apparent cause and fell into Reeve.

He shook his head. "It's all right," he responded. "Are you okay?"

She nodded mutely and focused her eyes ahead, shifting her shoulders uncomfortably in an attempt to make the tight handcuffs binding her hands to her back a little less uncomfortable. She failed and gave a defeated sigh. 

"Chin up."

She looked over at Reeve and noticed that he was looking at her. The left side of his jaw had swollen up and gone a vicious purple but he still bore the triumphant grin he had shown after flooring his old boss. She couldn't help but smile and shake her head in disbelief.

"That's better," he remarked and nudged her playfully with his shoulder. 

She managed a quiet laugh but it died quickly as her gaze fixed on the floor ahead of her. As she lifted her eyes to follow the path she was to take, she saw a small staircase leading up to a large capsule-like structure. It had a white ceiling and floor with glass walls to allow people to look inside. The floor was probably grated so that the gas could seep up from beneath and rise quickly to poison the little oxygen contained in the cubicle. It was so open and callous. So cold and scientific. She'd faced death before, but then she'd had the pounding of her heart in her ears, the thrill of fight-or-flight. Now though, there was nothing. A short walk to oblivion and nothing more. There was the sound of the crowds cheering and shouting below her and the people she regarded as being closest to around her. Surely that was all she needed? The people that she loved and respected the most? But it was so cruel. So malicious and unmerciful. 

She realised then that she couldn't handle it any more. 

A shudder leapt up her body and adrenaline surged through her veins with horrific realisation. She stopped dead in her tracks, Reno almost walking into her back and Rude glancing back at her questioningly.

There were no MPs behind them or directly ahead of them; the television stations didn't want soldiers cluttering up valuable space which would prevent them from getting clear shots of the damned. Instead, the men with weapons stood in a thin maroon line around the very outside of the roof with their guns following the four's every move. At Elena's sudden hesitation they all heard the clicks of pistols switching off the safety around them in a vast circle. 

"What's wrong, Elena?" Reeve whispered as he looked directly at her, blanking the ominous sight of countless barrels pointing at their heads but unable to hide the fear in his wide, brown eyes.

She trembled visibly, chocolate-brown eyes blinking rapidly to flutter back any emotions which would have destroyed her completely. Overhead there was the sound of a helicopter hovering above the roof in order to capture the tearful scene and relay it heartlessly to the observing public. 

"I, I can't do this," she gasped, her breaths loud and stuttered. She was terrified and starting to hyperventilate. 

Reeve's expression broke and he gazed back at her helplessly, floundering as he attempted to think of what to say. What could he possibly tell her? He'd made her smile but to do that again would be no better than asking her to lie in order to make him feel better. As he racked his very soul for an answer a rough hand grabbed his shoulder and shoved him towards the gas chamber. He stumbled down onto his knees but never broke eye contact with her. They simply gazed deeply into each other's eyes and the outside world blurred as the two people seemed to finally realise something which had probably been there all along.

She stood so helpless and alone despite her friends on the vast rooftop without so much as a comforting word directed towards her.

He knelt on the ground, a dark, ugly purple smudge swollen on the side of his cheek at the complete mercy of whatever life had to throw at him. It throbbed, sure, but it wasn't even close to the pain in his heart as he watched her tear-filled eyes knowing that he would never get the chance to say…

"I, I love you," Reeve blurted out, still on his knees with his head twisted back to look at her.

She stayed utterly frozen for a few seconds longer. It was then that her heart finally began to drown out the jeers of the millions surrounding them; it felt as though butterflies fluttered in her stomach and her mind reeled with confusion and relief. She'd been denying it long enough. Only Sod's law denoted that it would be at that single point in time when she'd realise. 

Before she could even think out the consequences or comprehend the flood of emotions which had overcome her senses, she found herself running over to him and bending down. She thrust her face in his and in a clumsy, passion filled moment their lips met and they kissed deeply. With their hands cuffed behind their backs, the whole event would have looked purely bizarre if it weren't for the ominous circumstances. 

Reno let out a whoop of joy while Rude burst out into deep laughter next to him. The couple still kissing before the two Turks, for a moment they forgot where they were as Reno learnt that not all love was unrequited. 

A stupid grin on his face, his wake-up call came in the form of a shove in the small of his back. He almost fell over, attempting to flail his arms to get his balance back but only serving to increase the flow of the warm, slippery blood oozing out of his wrist wounds. He gasped in pain, and only then did Elena and Reeve break apart to look over at him. Reno fell onto one knee and gave another yelp of agony as his rib gave a loud snap and finally shattered under all his movement. 

Infuriated by the event, Rude somehow bent an elbow and smacked the MP who had hurt his friend so badly on the head. Not expecting the blow, the soldier stumbled back clutching a bloody nose, his gun falling to the floor as he tried to stop blood pouring from his face.

It was undoubtable that had circumstances continued, the MPs surrounding the four would have simply opened fire and put a halt to the fight before it even had the chance to develop. As luck, however good or bad would have it, at that point hell burst open and let forth one of its demons upon Midgar.

Another earthquake, infinitely stronger than any other which had gone before it tore through the city. Buildings exploded through the sheer force of the blast as the whole ground sank and rose back up in a movement so much faster than they could realise. All they knew was that one second the world was under them, and in the next heartbeat it was on top of them. Most buildings built across the vast area simply crumbled from the vibrations whilst others shuddered precariously and stood through the force of will alone. 

Any joyful or elated cheers which had carried across the wind to the three Turks and Reeve ceased immediately. Everyone was hurled to the hard cobbled floor whilst those on the top of the Midgar Offices collapsed onto the flat roof, winded and unable to comprehend what the hell was happening. As they eventually gathered their breath and their brains succeeded in telling their bodies to try and find out what had just happened they rolled onto their backs and stared up at the sky. Breaths came raggedly through winded muscles and eyes stared in a glazed fashion at the sky.

"E, Everyone… okay?" Reno forced out.

"Y, yeah," Reeve stuttered in response. He rolled his head to one side and looked at Elena who was lying in a similar pose to him, legs pointing in awkward positions where they had come to rest and hands pinned tightly behind their backs being crushed painfully by the weight of their own bodies. For some reason though, that didn't seem to matter as their eyes met.

"I'm fine," Elena said eventually and Reeve felt deeply grateful. 

"Me too," Rude ended and he sat up, his sunglasses hanging feebly by a single handle off his right ear. He shook his head and they fell to the concrete floor with an eerily loud clatter. 

Unsettled by the too-loud motion, the other three did likewise and stared around. On the very edges of the building where MPs had stood so tightly together they acted as an impenetrable human screen from the outside world, there were now only one or two. They could only presume that the strength and suddenness of the quake had pushed them over the side where they probably met their deaths on the hard floor about twenty metres below. 

Reno's eyes darted around with the expert instincts of a Turk and eventually landed on the forgotten pistol of the MP who had pushed him over. When Rude had smacked the man in the face he had stumbled away, foolishly leaving behind his firearm and Reno felt a surge of hope. He made a motion to reach out to it, but his handcuffs held him fast. His sleeves and palms felt cold and soaking wet. 

A flash of morbid inspiration overcame him. 

Gritting his teeth as hard as he possibly could, his eyes screwed up and he pulled. White-hot agony tore up his arms and he thought he was going to faint. However, as he felt a jolt, he gave a final tug and with a scream of pain, he freed his hands using his own blood as a lubricant. He fell forward, everything going black as the pain of his action became too much.

"Reno!" Rude exclaimed in shock at his boss' action. "Hey man, wake up."

He shuffled over on his knees to the slouched figure and nudged him with a shoulder. Eventually, Reno came too and blinked hard, almost toppling over. "Can you hear me?" Rude asked and Reno nodded woozily.

"Ah… yeah," he replied uncertainly, holding his head. "I just feel dizzy, give me a sec." He gradually focused his eyes and pushed up from the ground. Snapping out of heavy giddiness he strode over to the gun with determined vigour and lifted it off the floor. "Hold out your hands away from your back," he ordered and the bald Turk complied. There was a startling gunshot which rang hollowly through the deadly still air and Rude's arms jerked apart. He massaged his wrists, putting his sunglasses back on and stood up next to his boss.

Within seconds Reeve and Elena had been freed and the four stood like the only survivors of Armageddon atop the building. People were starting to stir in their very distant vision on the edges of the building but the only ones near them had been knocked unconscious by the drop to the floor. Ignoring whatever impulses told her that she shouldn't appear weak, Elena took a step towards Reeve and in an unconscious gesture, he slipped a hand over her shoulders. 

"We have to get out of here," he stated obviously. "Quickly, while everyone's still stunned."

"How?" Reno questioned as he checked over his found pistol. "We're on the top of one of the biggest buildings in Midgar with an entire city surrounding us." He looked as though he was about to continue but a rumbling interrupted them. 

The world had been in silence for so long now that sounds were like strangers to be feared and repelled. But, nothing on the surface of the Planet could stop such a tumultuous noise building up. It had begun quietly and subtly, eventually gaining momentum like a train as it roared towards them. It almost had a substance; it almost had a form it was so great. And as the crescendo was reached it blasted them like a sonic boom and they fell to their feet, their hair blown back from their faces and their clothes whipping back behind them. They shut their eyes to prevent the incredible wind from the strength of the sound explosion tearing them out. The hurricane eventually disappeared, but the rumbling remained and the ground started to vibrate up and down directly beneath them. It almost broke their knee-caps to be jarred up and down on the foot-thick concrete and Reno leapt to his feet, the others doing likewise after realising the benefits of such an action.

They stood there for over a minute with their teeth vibrating in their heads before something happened. And when it did, they suddenly longed for the seductive embrace of the gas chamber to steal away their souls and prevent them from seeing what they did.

The earth perhaps a mile to the west of them erupted; soil, masonry and people thrown hundreds of feet into the air as an incalculably huge plume of black, black smoke burst up from it. The smog travelled upwards, spreading and swirling in the swampy sky and reducing all light which reached the damned city to a murky, black-green. It was the most unnatural, and frightening sight Reno felt he had ever experienced in his entire life and he almost fell to his knees in prayer.

"Oh God…" he whispered. "Is this it…? Are we all going to hell for what we've done?"

"No," Reeve murmured from his side after a harrowing pause. "I know what this is."

Elena looked at him, but he didn't meet her stare as his eyes remained fixed on the tragedy unfolding before him. "What?" she asked eventually and he swallowed forcefully.

"It…" he stopped and shook his head, unable to grasp what he was seeing.

They hadn't been lying. The tremors had nothing to do with reactor explosions or bombs. It had nothing to do with the Planet re-adjusting after Meteor's reign. This was something infinitely more terrifying and he truly wondered if indeed God had come to judge them and drag their tortured souls to the hell they surely deserved. Only He could perform such an act of destruction and damnation. A thousand people killed in one single movement and millions of others in the preceding quakes. 

But it wasn't God who had done this; God would be delicious mercy compared to what he had heard.

The destruction of all life had been what _It_ had promised. All life was a parasite destroying and draining the Planet of energy and it had made its duty to be the restorer of the balance after what man had done. 

It was the judge, the jury and the executioner…

"It's… the Vigilante," Reeve choked and the Turks looked at him in undisguised horror.

They didn't have the chance to ask questions before there was another explosion and something else rose from the epicentre of the quake that smoke had been pouring out of. It was a column of the darkest black they could ever hope to imagine. It stood up like a tear in the very fabric of existence showing the void beyond except even from the distance they stood from it, they could discern lines like molten threads running across the unholy obelisk. There was the sound of a geyser erupting in their brains and they clamped their hands firmly over their ears as the top of the column split viscously leaving vast fangs protruding from ebony, snake-like gums. A hood billowed out from what they could only guess was it's neck and like steadily growing super-novae, almond eyes appeared on the head. 

The Vigilante had been born from the Planet and it announced its arrival with yet another hideous shriek which drove them to the floor in an attempt to retain their sanity. 

As silence smothered the land like the heavy smoke that choked the sun many miles above them, it started to sway. At first the movement was slow and barely noticeable, but it started to gain momentum until now it rippled back and forth in a fashion so hypnotic it was almost painful for the four horrified spectators to tear their eyes away. 

"Don't look at it," Reno gasped. "It must be trying to paralyse people to make its job easier."

"I don't even want to ask what its job is…" Elena breathed painfully.

Reeve's eyes darted over the rooftop. It was massive, covering the length and breadth of the entire Midgar Offices which took up perhaps one square-kilometre. Across the whole of its plain-like surface there were only two blemishes; the hastily constructed, easily seen gas chamber and the doorway they had walked up from. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he stared at the peculiar structure. It was as wide as it was tall, like a door standing unsupported in the middle of the concrete desert. It was many metres away; he hadn't realised just how far they'd walked on their way to their executions. Their only hope would be to somehow get off the roof. By some stroke of luck the building had stood through the earthquakes but who knew what turmoil lay inside? It was worth considering the fact that people would be too panicked to even care that their four murderers were escaping, but maybe that was being too optimistic. Office personnel trapped inside rooms and corridors probably wouldn't have seen the imposing and plain terrifying sight of the Vigilante and the final tremors will not have made their significance known to them. They would still see the Turks and himself as escaped prisoners and try to capture them.

__

No, he thought to himself. _Not good enough. We'll have to find another way._

He kept his gaze fixed to the doorway and took a few steps towards it in puzzlement as something caught his eye against the murky-green background of the sky.

"Hey," he called when he'd wandered a metre or two away from the Turks. "Can anyone else see that?"

The others turned around and followed his line of sight. Their brows furrowed in concentration and Rude slipped off his glasses. "You mean that horizontal bar?" he asked eventually.

Reeve nodded. There was indeed what looked like a bar jutting from the side of the doorway. It stuck out obviously against the oddly coloured sky and it didn't seem to serve any apparent purpose. "Maybe it was shaken down with the quakes?" he mused aloud. "But I can't think why there'd be a pipe coming up the stairs when special gas-lines have been fed up from the side of the building."

"It looks like a flag-pole," Elena added. "Or maybe…"

"A helicopter blade!" Reno exclaimed and Reeve grinned by his side.

"You read my thoughts," he nodded. "Let's go and see. The only way we're going to get out of here with our lives is in the air."

They sprinted forward; Rude supporting Reno as the flame-haired Turk gritted his teeth and attempted to keep up with them all. The pistol was clutched weakly in one of his blood-soaked hands and he didn't give it much thought as they turned the corner around the back of the doorway.

"STOP!" cried a desperate voice and the four came to a screeching halt. 

They were met with the sight of a small helicopter sat inconspicuously behind the structure containing the downward stairway. In the middle of the rooftop, their eyes darted wildly around them and it was only when they heard footsteps from behind the door did they understand. Ten MPs burst out from the stairway into the open. From behind them strode Mayor Redford clutching a swollen eye, his formal, fur-trimmed, red cape flowing out behind him covered in plaster and tears.

"I said _stop_!" he ordered in a booming voice as he assumed a position behind the line of ten men. "Keep your hands off that helicopter! It's _mine_!"

Reeve started at the old man in disbelief. "What the hell has come over you, Bret?" he burst out in shock. "You used to be a good man, only caring about the city. I know I'm not a murderer but you were prepared to convict me of being one in a single breath and offer me my job back! Now you're trying to climb over the people you claim to protect??"

"I'm trying to stay alive!" the Mayor retorted angrily and the imposing tone of his voice disappeared leaving the words of a whinging, self-obsessed five year old. "Something you'd do well to try!"

Reeve shook his head vehemently. "You're trying to corrupt the city and pull down innocent people without considering the results. I chose you to be the Mayor out of all my administrators when Midgar was being built because you always had so much pride and such an altruistic approach to life! I swear that back then, you would've given your life if it meant a common thief could walk free. Now look at you! You're a conniving, snivelling coward!"

"What makes you think you're any better, Reeve? What makes you such a martyr?" Bret Redford demanded and Reeve flinched.

"I don't claim to be any of those which is why I didn't make _myself_ Mayor. I'm a cheating, two-faced, cunning son-of-a-bitch and I've never claimed to be anything else. The only thing I _do_ say about myself is that I love this city and I love the people of this planet! If you'd listened to me and if you'd taken the time to have an open mind and not condemn me because angry, unthinking people tell you to, you could've helped prevent this." Reeve gestured out to the city. As he did so a tremor caused their knees to buckle although they remained stood. In the distance there was screaming and a faint breeze shoved through the dead air with the scent of blood. Reeve swallowed hard. "We could have stopped this, and I know for a fact that in the past you would have trusted me and taken heed to everything I had to tell you. Now though, now you threw me in a bloody prison with the intention of having me killed whilst the city, _my_ city was destroyed!! What kind of a man are you??"

Bret narrowed his eyes and for a second Reeve wondered if he saw a wash of black come over him. He didn't have time to ponder the fact as the old man made a gesture and the MPs began firing. 

He only managed to dive out of the way by sheer luck, another tremor forcing him to the floor and sending the aim of the soldiers wild. The four fugitives threw themselves behind the stair hut and Reno returned fire with his pistol. He yelped in pain, clutching at his injured chest as he twisted into a sitting position after shooting blindly around a corner. Rude moved over to him and held out his empty hand. Reno glanced between the appendage and his pistol, a sulking, reluctant expression overcoming him. 

"Give me the gun, Reno," Rude ordered firmly.

Reno shook his head. "No, as your superior I get priority on ass-kicking."

"You're injured. Fuck authority, if you start moving around and trying to duck fire you're going to puncture a lung."

"Yeah? And d'you know what?" Reno asked the taller, much heavier built man and Rude shook his head. "You're not gonna get it _then_ either! Hell, when I'm lying on the floor without a pulse then maybe I'll consider your request but-"

Rude's hand shot out, and before his boss could finish his sentence the gun was gone.

"Hey!"

Rude leapt to his feet and pressed his back to the wall, twisting around the corner and returning the incessant fire of the MPs. There was an audible thud over the gunfire and he bent back into shelter. 

"Bastard," Reno muttered bitterly but his curse went unheard.

The helicopter was within reach, but they had to cross the line of fire in order to attain its safety. They knew that the Mayor would never want to risk getting himself shot and would wait until every one of the four was dead before getting to the transport. Just as they could guess that if indeed they made it to the copter he wouldn't want it to be damaged in any way and wouldn't dare shooting them. 

It was a Catch Twenty-Two situation Reeve realised with a grim expression. Either they stayed where they were until their ammo ran out or they were ambushed and killed on the spot. Alternatively, they could brave the no-mans land and get shot in the process.

"What do we do?" Elena asked by his side and he flashed her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. 

"Rude's a good shot, isn't he?"

She nodded. "He's the best with guns out of us three although he prefers fists."

"Then," Reeve reasoned. "If anyone can get us out of this, it's him."

She gave a dour smile. "I suppose. But that won't stop reinforcements coming, or that Vigilante slithering over here and killing us all."

Reeve's face fell. _Damn, I forgot about that…_

"I'm sorry."

Reeve looked at the female Turk with a degree of surprise at her unexpected words. "What do you mean?" he asked with brows knitted together above the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry for not believing you when you told me about the Vigilante," she clarified hesitantly and he reached out and squeezed her hand.

"That's okay," he answered quietly. "To be honest, I wasn't sure myself. I think I just held onto it because I couldn't bear the thought that Cloud or the others would lie to me." She nodded and stroked his hand in return. "I wonder if they're all right?" he asked thoughtfully and she sighed.

"I'm sure they're fine," she replied. "But don't you think we should be worrying about ourselves right now? We _are_ just about to be executed after all… ."

He gave a weary chuckle and looked to his left as Reno walked to them on his knees. He slumped down beside them; a look of stifled agony on his face. "Rude says the ammo is running out," he reported impassively. "If we want to make a run for the copter then it's now or never."

The couple stood and helped Reno to his feet as they walked the three metres to Rude's side. "Ready to go?" he asked them as he gave a random shot around the corner. They nodded hesitantly and he pushed a new clip into the pistol. "I got these rounds off the unconscious soldier when we were coming over here. If only he'd had more I might've been able to kill all these MPs and then we would've had a clear walk…"

His voice trailed off and a sudden bullet tore through the doorframe leaving a semi-circle of space where there had been wood before. The bald Turk raised his eyebrows over his sunglasses in a somehow comical gesture and looked at them. 

"It looks like they have enough bullets to shoot their way through this structure anyway," he commented with a shrug.

"If we get over to the helicopter without looking like Swiss cheese at the end, I'll be impressed," Reno muttered as he attempted to deal with the fear he felt creeping up the back of his throat like vomit. This wasn't going to be easy; in fact, surviving, something which had always come naturally was about to become a near impossibility. "But at least if we die on the battle-field I'll go with a smile on my face."

"You'll be smiling when someone shoots a bullet up your ass?" Rude enquired with a light smirk.

"No, I mean a _metaphorical_ one," Reno explained with an exasperated sigh and Elena laughed at his sudden use of such an obscure term. She didn't even realise he knew what the word meant. "In the real world I'll hit the floor with a face like thunder and a not-so-nice word on my lips. What I mean is that I'd rather lose all my breathing privileges like a Turk, not like a dirty murderer in the damned gas chamber. I can't think of anything worse."

His audience gave solemn nods, and in a silent motion swivelled to face the helicopter. The door was around the corner behind them; their enemies opposite the cubicle-like structure with the covered stairway preventing them from actually seeing one-another. Neither side had any advantage over distance to the copter, but when it came to firepower, the four fugitives were hopelessly outnumbered. 

What better way to leave the world than as a Turk…?

Rude wrapped a large arm around Reno's shoulders giving his boss all the support he needed whilst holding the pistol firmly in his left hand. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose the barrel of the weapon in a gesture which made Elena cringe, but she said nothing. She and Reeve made eye contact giving a final smile before Reno gave a crude battle cry and they surged forward. 

Bullets shrieked through the dead air towards them and Elena yelped as she was certain she felt one slice through her normally neat bob as her dishevelled blonde hair flew out behind her. She put her hands over her face in a pitiful motion to protect herself but kept her legs pounding forward uncaring as to where she was actually heading.

Reno almost wept with pain, his consciousness slipping with every step that jarred his battered body. His blood-soaked cuffs flapped soddenly around his raw wrists and he felt his broken rib crunch and grind precariously close to whatever organs he felt an intelligent desire to keep in one piece. Explosions went off near his left ear as Rude pointed and fired the pistol in the random direction of the line of MPs that sought to hamper their escape. The bald Turk's strong grip on Reno's slight frame was the only thing he felt kept him vertical. His legs were making the motion of running but they didn't even seem to touch the floor any more. He felt a wave of admiration overcome him like never before at his stoic companion. Not only was the silent man practically carrying him under one arm, he was the only thing keeping their enemies from mowing them down like moving targets at a fairground.

They were halfway to their solace now, bullets still screaming towards them. Only one of those lead slugs was needed to kill them; only one out of a countless thousand. They had been lucky up until then and they knew it was only time before someone was hit full on. 

Rude.

Rude, the closest to the line of MPs gave a cry of agony and fell to the floor, Reno sprawling out next to him. They lay still for a few seconds, the running couple Reeve and Elena now attracting the fire. Blinking blobs of light from his vision, Reno subtly dragged himself over to Rude's still form.

"Hey, you still with me, man?" he asked in a loud whisper and there was a hesitant nod.

"Yeah," came the muffled answer as Rude lay with his face pressed up against one of his arms. "The bastard shot my back."

"Can you get up?"

"No, he shot me in the _back_," Rude repeated patiently. He tilted his face up, his eyes naked; his sunglasses had been flung off across the concrete from the unexpected jolt of his fall. "I can't feel my legs, Reno."

Overcome by sheer horror, Reno almost jerked in shock, his head almost snapping up in a very uncorpse-like action. Catching himself at the last second he swallowed hard and directed his stunned expression at the floor. "Oh Jesus Rude," he gasped. "I'll kill the fuckers. Give me the gun and I'll blow the heads off every single one of them. I'll shoot their fucking brains out-"

"Don't be stupid. You know you'll be shot the second you let them know you're still alive," Rude snapped in an uncharacteristically brusque way. Reno's face contorted in inner pain as he could feel the frustration, anger and agony in his friend's voice. It was rare enough for the tall man to ever say anything more than two sentences long let alone be so clearly abrupt and full of emotion. 

He dared to lift his eyes and look at the form of his companion. Rude had his arms lying in no particular way over his head, his face pressed up against one of them. His legs were twisted in angles which were obviously not right and even from the awkward perspective Reno could see the obvious, red, bloodstain spread across Rude's back. He gritted his teeth and blinked hard to fight back any one of the number of emotions which tore through his mind at that moment.

"I'm sorry," he breathed eventually and even over the sound of the consistent gunfire Rude heard it.

"What's there to be sorry for?"

"I dunno. Everything I guess," Reno answered solemnly. "I'm sorry for bein' born. I'm sorry for getting you into all this shit. I'm sorry you've got a bullet lodged in your back."

Rude gave a snort of laughter, muffled in his sleeve and Reno did likewise. Despite the circumstances, they were soon in hidden hysterics, tasting blood in their mouths as they bit their tongues to stop themselves from bursting into loud, raucous laughter. They took deep breaths to calm themselves down, occasionally sniggering as they thought of all the thousands of times they'd been together. 

Reno's face twisted into anger as he gave a snarl in strong contrast to his brief period of joviality. _This isn't the end, so why the hell am I thinking like this?_ He demanded of himself. _We've been in worse situations…_ He fought hard to recall a time when life had, indeed been worse and failed miserably after only a few seconds. 

"…Rude?" he whispered eventually.

There was a harrowing pause and eventually he heard a weak reply. "… what…?"

"I hope you're not intending on dying or anything pathetic like that. I'd be really pissed off with you if you are."

He heard another snigger, and then all of a sudden there was silence followed by a distant cry; the voice of Bret Redford, Mayor of Midgar. "The guns have stopped firing," Rude stated weakly. "The Mayor won't want to risk damaging his only way out of … out of this hell. Now's your chance… Elena and Reeve must've … reached the copter."

"I'm not leaving you."

"…You're being stupid again. I… I can't walk; they must've shot straight through my spine."

Reno grimaced and clenched his fists. "Damnit," he hissed in a high-pitched tone. "I can't fucking leave you! They'll kill you if you don't die from blood loss first!"

There was another long pause and again Reno had to forcefully stop himself from looking up. "…I'll shoot at them and distract their fire. You… You just… make a run for it."

"I'm gonna fucking drag you there if I have to, you dumb bastard!" Reno gasped again and he was horrified to feel hot tears run down his cheeks.

"Just… just go…"

Reno didn't get another chance to object as he caught sight of movement from the corner of tear-blurred eyes. By some unnatural burst of strength, Rude twisted himself onto his back and started firing towards the advancing lien of MPs. Caught off-guard, three of the them fell before they could even draw their weapons.

Reno leapt to his feet and a bullet thudded into his left arm. 

"See you in hell!" he cried as he turned and sprinted with an unholy vigour from the blood-soaked concrete.

"Not if I see you first!" He heard yelled in return and Reno couldn't stop a grin from pulling the corners of his lips up maniacally. 

Clutching his dead arm over his cracked rib, he pushed forward like a flame-haired, bloody demon fleeing the fires of Hades towards the helicopter. He saw Reeve sitting in the cockpit. The executive watched Reno dumbly, his mouth hanging open in shock for a few seconds before looking down at the control panel and frantically pressing buttons. Elena sat next to him, her face cradled in her hands as she rocked back and forth. Over the sound of guns exploding behind him, Reno could barely hear his own thoughts but Elena was obviously crying.

That hurt him more than any physical pain he had endured over the past few days and in a few more vast strides, he propelled himself around the side of the copter and dived into the foot well of the driving-seat in less than a heartbeat. 

The contraption lurched off the Midgar Offices rooftop and Reno rolled onto his back, his legs still dangling limply from the open door of the helicopter. Through the glass top he watched the blades as they rotated and sliced through the swampy-black air leaving circles of blurred grey in the air. It seemed so graceful… so poetic. Although he knew he really should've been able to hear the chugging roar of the engine or even the scream from Midgar citizens below as they were torn by an unimaginably powerful force, the Vigilante; he heard nothing.

If anyone had asked him what he remembered from that moment of salvation before he passed out, he would've said the sound of Elena weeping quietly to herself and nothing more.

If his unconscious wish had been granted, he would have never heard anything ever again.

"Se ya, Rude," he murmured with tears burning his cheeks and the aches down his left side little more than meaningless throbs before oblivion swallowed him in its empty depths.


	22. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 22 'Sweet Dreams'

As night swept over the Western Continent like a silent predator, the thundering claws of the chocobos as they churned up the earth with their wicked talons ceased. They warked and cooed softly to one-another as their masters led them inconspicuously around the side of the first house of the City. Lower Junon spread like shadow-seeking lichen beneath the more high-tech and developed world of Upper Junon perched on a thick, man-made shelf high on the sea cliffs. 

The distinct smell of salt and fish hung heavily in the crisp night air, an ocean breeze pushing the distinct scent as far inland as it could. Even in the early darkness of twilight seagulls and petrels cawed and screeched in an oddly soothing fashion overhead as they returned to roost in the vast support structures beneath the Upper City air-path.

Cloud turned back to his companions in the shadow of the small dwelling-place. Giving a nodded signal to them, he reached up and slipped the bridal of his bird off its head with a click of the buckles. Moving around to its saddle, he slipped the leather object in its pack and held onto its neck to keep it steady. It shuffled impatiently in response and eyed its fellow chocobo's eagerly. The leader of AVALANCHE waited before his four friends' had repeated the task before finally patting the golden creature on its long, slender neck. It let out a subdued warble in response and galloped as fast as it's powerful, clawed feet would carry it over the rolling hills which surrounded the twin-named sea cities. The four other birds promptly followed it, their heavy footfalls thumping into the earth and carrying to the group when the creatures had disappeared over the nearest grassy ridge.

Glancing around the corners of the hut warily to ensure that they were not overheard, AVALANCHE huddled together as far away from a window as they tried to be without leaving the shelter the wooden building had to offer them. They watched each other for a few seconds, gauging how the person next to them was feeling before attempting to speak. The ride had been long and hard; the cold weather had played heavily on their steeds despite their resilience. They were all tired and the prospect of slipping into a warm hotel was not something they felt willing to turn down. Without any news on what had been happening to their friends and other places in the rest of the world however, they had no choice but to stay hidden.

"What's the plan, Cloud?" Cid asked. The shivering in his voice which had been familiar to their ears all day had lessened dramatically. It went against all their instincts to admit so, but it seemed that the closer they came to the sea, the warmer the climate had become. Despite the certainly unusual weather conditions they felt in no mood to argue against an end to the oppressing chill which had been plaguing them over the past few days. It had not only made their travel on foot difficult, poor conditions had led to shortened tempers and an increase in hostility between group members. As group leader Cloud had felt inwardly glad for the alteration in both temperament and travelling conditions. He continued to marvel inwardly however at Cid's ability to pointedly refuse to agree with Sephiroth even though he probably knew that the majority of times the general was correct. That at least had remained constant despite location, company and time.

"We all split up," Cloud replied after hastily gathering his thoughts as four eyes stared expectantly at him. "I've been thinking about it all day and it seems to be the best option. Moving around as a group in the base of the world's largest army is suicidal. Besides, as individuals we'll cover more ground and be more likely to hear news of what's been happening back in Midgar."

A depressing silence smothered them as they mourned their friends, the Turks and Reeve in the cold possibility that their ends had been met in the pursuit of bloody revenge.

"Where do we meet?" Sephiroth questioned to shatter the peace.

"We'll make our way to the civilian harbour in no more than an hour. The one which was based on the Upper City is now used for military purposes and we only need basic transport. To get that, we find a crewmember and bribe them with as much as we have to in order to keep his mouth shut. If that works we'll end up in Costa del Sol before tomorrow afternoon."

Cid nodded in mute agreement with his leader and Yuffie gazed apprehensively in the direction of the sea. She gave a shudder as her stomach flipped with another wash of wind forcing the stench of salt up her nostrils. "I hate boats," she whimpered pathetically. "Even those chocobos were better than a bucket in the middle of an ocean."

Cid snorted a laugh. "My ass is killing me and I'll just be glad for the opportunity to lie down on something flat."

"Yeah, something flat which rocks from side to side and tries to hurl you over the side of railings or bash your brains out on the wall," her voice trailed off and in the darkness she went a peculiar shade of silvery-green. 

Turning the mood serious once more, Tifa turned to Cloud, her burgundy eyes glittering like wine in the diminished moonlight. "What happens if we don't all make it?" she asked, obviously trying to seem unemotionally involved and only thinking of the mission ahead. 

Sensing this and attempting on some subtle degree to alleviate her fears, Cloud softened his response. "Junon is a big place," he began. "It wouldn't surprise me if one or even two of us didn't get to the meeting place on time. If that's the case then the others are to go on and wait at Costa del Sol. This place is too dangerous to spend too much time in and we want to move on as quickly as possible. Is everyone clear of that? No matter how bad things get, if someone's at the boat in one hour and no one else has shown, they get on board and go. No waiting or hanging around. None of us have been stupid enough to get caught and that isn't about to change."

He received four pensive nods and answered them with a rare smile. "Good," he said gratefully. Looking down and pulling back his glove he stared at a watch strapped on his right wrist and glanced up at them again. "My watch says it's eight o'clock," he announced. "At exactly nine, the hourly cargo transport will be leaving the civilian harbour. We meet outside of it and bribe the first crewmember we come across. No expense can be spared because if we screw up now then there's no way in hell we can find another route to the Eastern Continent."

"And I'm sure as hell not ridin' any more animals," Cid muttered as he lit a cigarette and took a deep drag from it. "The next time anyone suggests that we wear our asses down to the bone on the back of something not made out of metal, I'll tell them where to shove it. The only thing chocobo's are any good for is eatin'."

Yuffie gasped with horror and glared at him. "That's horrible!" she cried in a hushed voice. 

"Ah, you only like them 'cos they're the only things which don't make you want to hurl."

Cloud grinned to himself and shook his head. "C'mon guys," he urged gently, starting to walk towards the mass of buildings known as Lower Junon. Tifa strode next to him, holding onto his arm as though it would be the last time she ever could. "We'll see each other in an hour," he smiled down at her and she beamed back.

"I know," she answered, flicking a bang of deep brown hair over her shoulder (god how he loved it when she did that). "But since you told me that you loved me, I don't think we've been apart for that long."

He laughed and smiled happily back down at her. The couple stopped in the middle of the street and their lips met in a yellow pool of gaudy light thrown out by a candlelit streetlamp above them. They lost themselves in their action, feeling one-another completely for a few seconds. Both felt as though they could've remained in the moment for an eternity but on the edge of their hearing they heard a peculiar sound. Pulling their faces away but staying embraced, they unanimously turned and looked behind them. Only a couple of metres away stood Cid suppressing a bout of laughter as Yuffie gagged in mock sickness beside him.

Cloud sighed and looked down at his beloved. "I am _so_ glad that we're not travelling as a group," he murmured and she gave a bark of laughter.

Moving from the light, they found themselves on the edge of a crumbling, tarmac road. Grass blades had begun to jut up through the thick black layer showing the first signs of disrepair in the city. The lower part of Junon had been poor and polluted since they'd first entered its grounds, but with the use of Mako ceasing, it had become considerably cleaner and brighter. Like Midgar, nature was now starting to cover man's past abominations and embrace modern ruins with ivy and flowers. In the darkness of night however it seemed like any other town; deserted and thoroughly miserable despite itself.

None of them said anything as they took a final glance around, each meeting the eyes of the other group members. Words would only make the parting more difficult, and so with a final gesture they turned in different directions and started to fan out into the city.

Yuffie slunk furthest from the shoreline and watched with a mental cheer as Cloud impassively took the sandy route. _With any luck_, she had mused. _If I stay far enough from the sea then I'll miss the meeting time and won't have to get on that awful boat._ And so she slipped into the first of many alleys sandwiched between the back of the street and the chalky sea cliffs.

Ducking behind the nearest house closest to the shoreline, Cloud paused and watched Tifa until she was out of his sight. He loved the way that her hair swayed from side to side with her hips like a pendulum. The way that her blue jeans hugged every curve of her long, shapely legs and the way that her tight, white T-shirt clung to every sensuous shape of her torso made him grin stupidly to himself. She was his, all his in both heart and now body. They had always been childhood friends, brother and sister even but since the Meteor Crisis and the past month's events she had suddenly become so much more to him. Even blinking and losing her image for a fraction of a second seemed painful. Tifa Lockheart, the 'girl next-door' had become one of the most beautiful women he'd ever laid eyes on. And with the past five years, her looks had only matured making her seem so much wiser and precious. 

__

And **damn** is she hot!

Cloud almost laughed aloud at his mental exclamation and walked around the corner of the building and down the nearby steps to the sandy golden beach. He shoved his hands in the deep pockets of his new, maroon sweatpants and ambled along the flat grainy shore leisurely. Out of the entire group he had the smallest distance to travel. He could afford to take his time and the sight of a man taking a stroll near the sea was so much less suspicious than a stranger creeping around the docks. 

Along the way he occasionally stooped to pick up flat stones from the floor, twisting his body and skimming them across the rough surface of the water. _Looks like it might get stormy later_ he thought to himself, suddenly grinning as Yuffie sprang to mind. _She won't be happy_ he sighed inwardly, wondering whether she would moan as loudly and obnoxiously as she could about the state of her stomach or decide to stay in ill silence during their passage. Remembering that he hadn't brought any tranquillisers with him, he desperately prayed it was the latter.

An odd glittering against the crystalline grains of sand caught his attention and he knelt down to examine what it was. Pulling off one of his gloves, he carefully brushed the sand away to reveal a square, silver object with what appeared to be to be a thin, moveable arm cutting through the middle of it.

Holding it up before his face he raised his eyebrows and stood. "A buckle," he murmured to no one in particular. "How bizarre."

Shrugging, his slipped it into one of his pockets and started to resume his walk along the beach. Glancing to his left he noted that the water seemed much closer than it had been when his walk had begun. The tide was obviously coming in and he calculated that he had plenty of time to get to the harbour before it totally swamped the area of sand. That thought on his mind as he fixed his eyes to the floor before his feet, he almost walked straight past the second strange object on the shore.

He happened to look up at that particular moment for no reason at all and was taken aback to land his gaze on an apparently shapeless mass lying near the incoming tide. It seemed to be long and thin, perhaps very flat judging by the area it took up. In the shadow of the air-path overhead he could tell no more of what he had stumbled across. It was quite a distance from him; he walked near the sea walls which prevent the ocean from rushing up and consuming the city during high tide. The Thing whereas lay as far away as it was possible to be from the defences. In the time that it had taken Cloud to stop and scrutinise the object the water had come up far enough to lap against the end of the object closest to the salty water.

Taking a few faltering steps the ex-SOLDIER managed to not only curse his hesitance, but also his curiosity in the same breath. He now stood perhaps three metres from the thing, and from his new examination point he saw that it was not a normal object; it was a person.

Senses of guilt rushed his mind as he struggled against two demons at once. One of them told him to carry on; he had less than twenty minutes to reach the harbour and who knew how long it would take to check out this person? They were probably just a drunk who stumbled down to the shore and fell asleep in the sand in an alcohol-induced daze. Besides, why should he help anyone? If he did drag the person from their watery bed there was a strong chance they'd recognise him and start screaming bloody-murder, claiming that they'd caught the leader of AVALANCHE 'the Murderers'. 

Cloud frowned. 

On the other hand, if he did just leave the freezing figure they might never wake up and be swallowed by the tide as it swept up the beach and crashed against the sea wall. Then he truly would be no better than the killer the media claimed he was. He couldn't risk raising an alarm or asking someone else to help otherwise that would be no better than offering himself on a plate.

Cloud's brow furrowed deeply as he thought. The waves were now lapping against the feet of the figure. In a short time they would reach up to the calves, then the back and finally cover the face to drown the comatose person. Cloud wasn't even sure of what sex they were. In the very poor lighting he found himself wondering how he even made out the shapeless mass in the shadows. Long dark hair lay in a matted, tangled mess over their face hiding any features and a blanket or sheet of some kind lay over their body giving it the deceptively bizarre form he had noticed. Whoever it was though, Cloud realised as he tilted his head to one side curiously, they were tall. Taller than himself anyway so most likely male.

Coming to a mental conclusion, the ex-SOLDIER took a few long strides forward until he was by the side of the stranger. He didn't have to awaken the figure. All he had to do was carry him or her up to one of the fishing cottages and leave them there to be discovered in the morning. It would be cold, sure, but it would be better than drowning. Besides, for all he knew they might already be dead. 

Swallowing hard and preparing for the worst, he knelt down and crudely prodded them. They didn't react, an outcome he was oddly thankful for. 

Preparing himself once again, he reached out with a faltering movement and touched the hair. It was covered in sand and a few strands of seaweed were woven through the dark locks. The person had either been there since high-tide that lunchtime, or had come in from the sea earlier. To Cloud, neither prospect sounded good.

Urging himself to make the final movement he slipped his hands beneath the nearest shoulder and tensed his muscles. With a strained breath, he lifted and tipped over the stranger. They rolled onto their back limply like a rag doll, their head lolling to one side and their arms falling whatever way gravity wished them to go. As Cloud recovered his breath his eyes turned slowly downward expecting to find anything from crabs slowly eating the rotten flesh of a sea-killed corpse or perhaps even no flesh at all. 

He was even more horrified with the sight that met him. The person seemed completely untouched by any such suspicions or even the sea itself. 

The face was untouched by time. 

The visage of a man aged twenty-seven and yet sixty-six looked up at Cloud Strife from a mass of raven hair. The blanket which had shrouded the body was nothing more than a crimson cape died black by the amount of water soaked into it. Almond eyes were shut tight and a look of torment so dreadful that it chilled Cloud's very soul played on the features of the man. A terrible golden gauntlet lay still, twisted by pain into a deadly claw by the side of the figure and his good hand lay limply across his chest. Unable to quite believe the object that beheld him so powerfully, Cloud's heart stopped for a fraction of a second and the blood drained from his face. As though trying to disprove the obvious, he reached out with horrid expectation and slowly pulled down the high neck of the cape to reveal the mouth. Two stark white triangles pushed over the bottom, wan lip; they gleamed in the shadows with an unholy tint. He rubbed his face in the unconscious hope of erasing the scene before him, but blinking hard he realised that it was impossible. Inhaling deeply to calm his nerves, his brain remained stunned despite his best efforts and unable to think of anything else to do, the ex-SOLDIER spoke.

"Oh shit Vincent," Cloud breathed, his voice a higher pitch than usual through sheer panic and shock. "Oh shit, oh shit," he gasped over and over again as though repeating the curse could somehow right the wrong he witnessed.

Snapping out of his stunned daze, he reached down with violently shivering hands to grope the ex-Turk's neck. After a few seconds of hysterical searching he forced himself to relax and felt a wave of elation rush over him as he discovered a faint pulse; so weak he almost stood and ran from the place believing his friend to be dead. As he lowered his cheek to the vampire's mouth he felt a barely noticeable brush of warm air against his face. Seconds later there was another and then another.

"Thank God you're alive," Cloud said aloud, trying to repress his anxiety and excitement. "But you won't be for much longer. I have to get you out of here."

The tide was now lapping up around the top of Vincent's boots which reached up to his knees. Much longer and he would probably catch hypothermia if he hadn't already. His pulse was feeble and his breathing was laboured. With any part of his body touching the freezing water he'd die from sheer coldness alone.

Forgetting all thoughts of meetings and time, Cloud grabbed the shoulders of the cloak and dragged the tall man from the touch of the sea. The exertion from such a simple movement exhausted him, the cold air attacking his lungs and forcing him to bend over double into a slight coughing fit. He muffled his discomfort with a degree of anger and scanned up and down the sea wall for a set of steps to the city. To his relief there was such a stairway only twenty metres perhaps along the way he was walking anyway.

He crouched down next to the ghostly figure and with an expression of pure pity brushed a few strands of ebony from the white face. "I hope you're not as heavy as I think you are," he muttered to his comatose companion.

Flexing his muscles and rubbing feeling into his sleeved arms, his slipped his hands under Vincent's back and heaved him unceremoniously over his shoulder, staggering back a few steps and almost slamming into the wall. Taking a few deep breaths, he pushed forward toward the route to Lower Junon. Once there he staggered up the stairs and straight out into the main town square. This was a part of town he recognised; he'd been here before. To his left there was the elevator up to the military owned Upper Junon which was now free to all who wished to use it. To his right was the road which led to the outer suburbs. But it was the sight opposite the cobbled square which held his attention. Another set of stairs faced him, but these were made from rickety wood, spiralling up to an equally old house perched on a natural cliff ledge about ten metres above the rest of the town.

Cloud smiled to himself grimly. "Priscilla," was all he said before pushing onwards and moving with strained grunts up the wooden structure. The weight on his back crushing his shoulder, he was forced to stop and gather his breath every few seconds. After a climb which he realised dourly would have been no problem to him five years before, he stood at a door. All the lights were switched off inside the cabin and he felt a sudden reluctance to disturb the person inside. As the comatose figure on his back became heavier with the moment's pause however, he reached up and gave a soft but urgent banging on the door.

It took several minutes before he was rewarded with a response. There was gentle glow of an oil lamp as it was switched on in the two-room hut. A curtain twitched, and then with a click the entrance opened. A young girl of only thirteen stood in the doorway, bleary-eyed but with a grin on her youthful features. She looked as though she was about to run forward and embrace the figure before her, but noticing his load restrained herself at the last moment.

"Hiya Cloud," she beamed as she gazed with undisguised admiration up at the unruly haired man.

He chuckled wearily in response. "Hi Priscilla," he greeted. "Are you alone?"

She nodded. "Yup, Grandpa's out on a fishing expedition with a few other guys from town. He only went this morning so he won't be back for ages."

Cloud sighed and shuffled the weight on his back awkwardly. "Is it okay if I come in?"

"Sure it is," she answered brightly as she stood to one side. Cloud entered gratefully and bent down in a motion preparing to lie Vincent on the floor. "Oh no," she said to stop him and he looked questioningly at her. She pointed to a curtained corner of the room and pulled it aside to reveal a large, single bed. "This is Gramp's bed," she explained. "Your friend looks real sick so he can sleep there."

"Thank you Priscilla," Cloud replied gratefully and he slid Vincent off his shoulder and onto the cot. The vampire slumped limply from his grip and his head fell back onto the pillow, his arms flopping to his sides. Cloud felt a nudge on his arm as he attempted to massage the ache from it. 

"What's wrong with him?" the young girl asked innocently. 

"I don't know myself," Cloud responded truthfully. "I found him on the beach. Have there been any shipwrecks recently? He might have been on a boat that sunk and was swept to shore by currents."

Priscilla shook her head firmly with a negative sound and Cloud frowned.

"How can you be so certain?"

"There haven't been any boats going down for a real long time Gramp's says, and he knows everything that goes on around here because he's the harbour master. Besides, the currents near here lead _away_ from Junon towards Costa del Sol," she told him matter-of-factly.

Cloud sat down on a chair next to the bunk and assumed a thinking position. "Then how did he get here?" he mused aloud. "The last accounts I heard said he was on the other side of the ocean."

Priscilla seemed more interested in staring with childlike wonder at Vincent's intricate claw and innocently wondering how his arm was turned to gold. Ignoring Cloud as the ex-SOLDIER spoke to himself, she reached out tentatively and nudged the gauntlet. As the whole body of the dark figure twitched she cried out in alarm and leapt back. Cloud sprang to his feet and followed her gaze to the supposedly unconscious figure.

Vincent gave a powerful twitch which jolted through his entire body and his eyes snapped open to stare in a glazed fashion at the ceiling. A smile broke out on Cloud's face and he opened his mouth to say something. He was cut off however as the vampiric figure began speaking.

"Lucrecia…? I don't understand… . You mean it… you mean it's actually _true_??" His voice began in the glacial, impassive tones Cloud was so used to hearing coming from the ex-Turk's mouth. But as his demented speech continued, he was almost screaming in anger and frustration. Priscilla, stared with wide-eyed horror at the scene before her and stared backing away towards the door while Cloud inwardly prayed that the demonic man wasn't about to transform. _The poor kid is scared enough as it is_ he begged. _Don't let her see that; just don't destroy her like that._

"How can you even _consider_ something like this??" Vincent continued to rant furiously. "Can't you even _begin_ to imagine how wrong it is?? And with _him_!! You're doing this with that… that _bastard!!_ No! Don't come near me!" His face suddenly fell into an expression of remorse and hurt so deep Cloud almost leapt forward to shake his friend from the fit. Trying to shield Priscilla's slight form with his own however, he could do little more than spectate. 

"… You… . … You don't mean that. Please… ! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Just don't turn away… Luc? Lucrecia…??"

The seizure stopped as abruptly as it had begun and Vincent's eyes closed tightly once more, his body falling limp.

"I, Is he mad?" Cloud heard a voice whisper. He turned swiftly to look at the trembling girl who tightly grasped his trousers as she didn't take her eyes from the once more unconscious ex-Turk. He knelt down until his head was on the same level as hers. He gently turned her to face him and looked deeply into her eyes.

"No," he said firmly. "Vincent isn't mad. He never has been and he never will be, y'hear? He's just really, really sick and he needs our help. We can make him better just how I made you better when that monster knocked you out into the sea, remember?"

Priscilla nodded. How could she have forgotten? How could she have forgotten the time when her hero had bravely rushed into the ocean to pull her from the gaping maws of a sea serpent? He'd saved her and ever since then he'd been her idol and she had one day vowed to marry him. He hadn't _quite_ confirmed whether he agreed or not, but if helping one of his friends would make him say yes, then how could she possibly refuse?

A smile broke out on her face and she nodded firmly. 

Cloud patted her on the head. "Good girl," he sighed. "I need a bowl of hot water and some towels. He's probably going to be very cold from lying out on the beach for so long so we have to warm him up, okay?"

"Sure thing," she answered as she skipped away to a corner of the small room where there was a sink and simple kitchen. Cloud watched her for a few seconds as she hummed some childish song to herself and gathered together blankets, towels and anything else she thought might be useful. Collecting his thoughts he sat back down in the bedside chair and turned to look at his friend.

Vincent was so pale and still that at first glance he appeared dead. His heart sinking in shock, Cloud let out a sigh of relief as he watched the ex-Turk's chest rise and fall with a laboured breath and then even out into quick, shallow breathing. He gently reached out and started to unclip the fastenings on the neck of his sweeping cape which had always worked so well at hiding his vampiric secret. When it came to matters of life and death however, Cloud found himself dismissing any private reservations or desires to hide aspects of himself that Vincent held so dear. Cloud realised that he no longer cared whether his friend had to bite people's necks to survive or whether he truly had been the schizophrenic Turk Reno claimed he was. The icy man who lay so fragile and vulnerable in his unconscious state tweaked the very strings of Cloud's soul and made him forget anything which his dark companion had done in the past. This wasn't the time to find out about long-forgotten sins, nor was it the occasion to perform an in-depth personality test. 

Tugging slowly on the cape which had twisted around Vincent's legs; Cloud carefully dragged it from beneath him and stood up, holding the soaking sheet of crimson before him. He draped it over the back of the chair he occupied and for the first time noticed that one of the leather fastenings seemed somehow naked compared to the others. Fishing around in his pockets, Cloud eventually pulled out the buckle he had discovered lying in the sand on the beach. With an odd smile of understanding he held the silver square up to the leather strap and noticed where the material had been torn as the metal object was ripped off by some force. "I'll fix that later," he told himself as he placed the broken buckle on a nearby table and turned back to Vincent. Walking to the base of the bed he pulled off the gold-toed boots, placing them quietly on the floor.

He un-tucked the ex-Turk's large black shirt and undid the four white buttons of the tunic-like front. Lifting up the back with one hand and manoeuvring the item of clothing with the other, he eventually pulled it off and hung it on one of the bed-knobs. He began to turn, but paused as he noticed the thin silver chain around the vampire's neck. Reaching down, he straightened it and smiled as the distinct pendant Yuffie had given him only a week before came to view. The sapphire eyes of the lithe metallic serpent flashed at him like tiny stars and the blue lotus flower appeared to bloom before his very vision. As Priscilla placed a large bowl of water next to him, Cloud dragged himself from his thoughts and pulled the bed-sheets up to Vincent's armpits. He sat down again.

"You should go to bed now," he told the young girl. "It's too late for you to be awake and nothing interesting is happening."

She stared suspiciously at him, her head tilted to one side as she attempted to read his face. Sniffing, her shoulders slumped and she rubbed her eyes with a yawn. "I _am_ tired," she admitted eventually. "But if anything interesting happens, do you promise to wake me up?"

Cloud nodded pensively with a serious expression. "I promise," he replied and she grinned, giving him a kiss on the cheek before skipping towards her bedroom. She shut the door behind her and the two members of AVALANCHE were alone.

Cloud remained sat down and bent to soak one of the towels in the hot water. Wringing it out he lay it across Vincent's chest and stared curiously at him in a pause of silence. Sand gleamed on his skin like glitter and in his ebony hair; it was probably stuck in the joints of his metallic claw and would provide him with a great deal of annoyance for a long time to come. Cloud wasn't sure whether to laugh or feel pity at the thought. 

Vincent's face was as expressionless as ever to any normal person, but Cloud had spent many hours on night-watch with him had learned to read vague, subtle signs to gain clues to what was flickering through his mind. At that moment there were no creases or frowns of worry anywhere on the impassive visage, but the corners of the lips were turned down in a barely noticeable expression, and every few minutes the eyelids would twitch as he frowned in a distant nightmare.

"What time is it now?" Yuffie asked and Cid looked down at his watch.

"Just coming up to nine now," he answered gruffly, an edge of urgency in his voice. The pilot stamped his feet on the concrete jetty which stretched out into the murky depths of Junon Harbour. A boat so vast it obliterated the stars occupied the water to one side of them. On the other, the ocean stretched on for an infinity to meet the horizon on the very edge of their vision. Despite the sickness stewing deep in the pit of her stomach, Yuffie felt a wave of awe come over her at the sight of the vast product of man's own ambition.

"It's… _big_ isn't it?" she gasped with a child-like wonder. 

Cid gave a quiet laugh from her side. "You should've seen some o' the plans I was workin' on for rockets and stations up in space when I worked with the Shinra," he replied. "Now _they_ were _big._"

He took a drag on his cigarette and looked over to the edge of the harbour closest the town. It was pitch black so far from the pathetic lights of the street-lamps and only the glow of his cigarette and the distant stars shed any illumination over the inky water. Against the flickering screen of Lower Junon however there stood a single figure; Tifa.

"Do you think we should wait?" Yuffie asked quietly from the pilot's side and he grunted non-commitingly in response. "I mean, Cloud _did_ tell us to leave if someone didn't show up. But I don't think he would've wanted to leave if _he'd_ been here and someone was missing."

"I think perhaps he wasn't expecting anyone to take so long; especially not himself," Sephiroth mused from the shadows of the boat. "I encountered no hostility on my way here and doubt that he would have. Something must've held him back."

"A tap-dancin' Meteor wouldn't have stopped Spike from getting here on time. I don't even want to think what could be so important he'd be willin' to miss escaping this damned continent."

Yuffie and Sephiroth made no move to add to the statement and instead continued to stare at Tifa's back as she gazed with heart-breaking hope towards the shadowed town. Eventually however their tranquillity was shattered as hurried footsteps approached from the direction of the boat. Cid turned laboriously to face the intruder. 

"Look, I'm so, so sorry but if you're coming on this boat you need to get onboard now. The Captain's getting suspicious and I can't delay him any more," an obviously nervous man spoke quickly. His eyes darted around the jetty, occasionally swaying to see over the shoulders of the trio in the fear they were hiding someone.

Cid turned back with an agonised expression to Tifa, and crushing his cigarette underfoot, walked over to her. "Tifa?"

She turned to him and although she disguised it well, it wasn't hard to tell that she'd thought that Cloud had come to her. Her disappointment at the sight of the pilot made his job even harder.

"Tifa, the sailor says we have to go now. The boat can't wait any longer an' it's already ten past nine."

She bit her bottom lip and looked over her shoulder at the town in one last vain hope she would catch the silhouette of an unruly-haired man sprinting up the shore to take the ocean voyage. She was met with little more than the sight of ever-twinkling lights and the black sea lapping up against the shoreline. The tide had reached its peak in the time she had waited for him.

"He's not coming, is he?" she questioned softly.

Cid swallowed forcefully and scratched the stubble on his chin as he sought an answer. "I'm sure he will," he told her with hidden uncertainty. "If he'd been caught then we would've heard about it by now. He probably just decided to wait for us somewhere and fell asleep or somthin' moronic like that. I'm sure all that hair-spray he uses gets to his brain sometimes!"

Tifa tore her eyes from the lights and gave a smile to the older man. "Yeah," she breathed. "We can always wait for him at Costa del Sol where it's safer, can't we?"

Cid almost pulled a face as he realised that she was asking him for an answer. Unable to further her torment any more, he simply nodded and gestured for her to follow him to the gangway where their friends were waiting. 

Cloud reached out and placed the palm of an ungloved hand on Vincent's cheek. It was still freezing despite the almost stiflingly warm surroundings and a look of worry marred his features. Despite himself and warnings that screamed in his brain, the leader of AVALANCHE tugged on the crimson bandages that were wrapped around the forehead of the Turk. As far as he recalled, Vincent had never removed them, but casting his mind back to his previous revelation of not caring whom or what his companion was, Cloud continued. He unravelled the scarlet bindings without faltering and eventually draped then over the base of the bed. At first nothing caught his eye in the dim light of the oil-lamp, but as he scrutinised the parchment-white skin an odd blemish made itself apparent to him. It was a faded pink, the colour of a newly healed scar and about the size of a Gil piece; perfectly rounded and slightly to the left of the centre of his forehead.

Although he frowned at the never-seen mark another feature caught his attention. Just next to the scar-like blemish there hung a pure-white strand of hair, almost invisible against the pale skin. Cloud lifted it gently and was about to brush it back with the rest of Vincent's hair when he noticed more. A lot more. From just above the slightly left-orientated scar there was now a streak of contrasting hair lying over the otherwise raven locks of the ex-Turk. As Cloud frowned in deep puzzlement and lowered his face to examine it closely he realised that the shockingly coloured lock was not white, but made up of gleaming strands of silver. He had never seen anything quite like it before. He'd only seen his friend a week or so ago, and was that long enough for such a bizarre feature to suddenly appear? And for what reason?

As he allowed the metallic strands to fall through his fingers for a moment longer, his head jerked up in surprise as there was a distant chiming. He leapt up in alarm and looked at his watch, gasping in horror as nine o'clock and all it signified glared back at him. 

"Oh damn," he breathed with a sigh of defeat. 

He moved quietly to the hut window and gazed over at the distant harbour. The windowpane trembled slightly at the vibrations of a vast engine coming to life on the ocean and his eyes fell upon the sight of an enormous boat turning heavily on the waves and lurching away from the sea-city. He continued to stare at it, even when the lights that ringed the railing along the top-deck like fairy lights had ceased twinkling mockingly and had been swallowed by the ever present darkness. He pulled a face; an ambivalent mixture of worry and annoyance.

What was he supposed to do now that he was stranded on a continent seeking his head on a platter without enough Gil to bribe a sailor to escape? Life was rapidly running downhill with a break-neck speed. Much faster and it was about to trip up and tumble haphazardly to its doom and end in a tragic, crumpled heap. Cloud grimaced at the analogy and walked with lethargic steps to sit down next to Vincent's bed once more. 

The ex-Turk lay completely still despite the occasional, unpredictable sighs and uneven breaths which drew his chest up and down. The silver streak in his hair lay like an obvious curse across the otherwise pure mane of ebony and a couple of strands persisted to lie across his face without the crimson bandages to hold them back.

"Looks like it's just you and me now Vince," Cloud informed him as he soaked another towel and this time draped it across the unconscious figure's forehead. 

Vincent didn't answer and Cloud sat back in his chair, his eyes still fixed on the bizarre metallic stripe. Once again he reached out as though confirming that it was indeed real. It _looked_ like hair and it _felt_ like hair but it certainly wasn't natural.

Then again, Cloud reminded himself, since Hojo's 'improvements' Vincent wasn't exactly natural anyway. Perhaps this was just another manifestation of their latest encounter. Perhaps the stress had just become too much? He'd heard of that before he recalled idly. Sometimes people went grey in their twenties because of too much pressure. Then again, Vincent _was_ about sixty so maybe the new and unusual feature wasn't _that _peculiar. 

He reached up and plucked a random hair from his blonde crop, holding it with intense scrutiny before his face. _Nope, it's not grey_ he observed mentally with a ghost of a smirk. 

The old wooden chair creaked objectively under his frame as he squirmed to make himself comfortable. It was going to be a long, long night he realised with a sigh. But, at least he knew his friends were safe. They were off on the cargo-ship towards Costa del Sol and if anything, confined in that small cabin he was probably in greater peril than they were. Who was to know what had happened to his vampiric friend? What was stopping him from suddenly waking and transforming into Chaos to tear the city to pieces?

At that thought, Cloud slipped the Ultima Weapon from its holster on his back and lay it between his knees with the handle pushed up against his stomach. _Better safe than sorry_ he justified grimly. Vincent's last deep sleep had made him wake up with a fury so vicious he had fought those closest to him. Although the physical wounds had long since healed, the mental scar of the memory ran deep and bled with a venomous anger; it wasn't going to fade away in any great hurry. 

As he continued his morose musings, the figure in the bed suddenly twitched and Cloud started in alarm. His hand instinctively grabbed the hilt of his sword but he resisted the urge to spring to his feet and complete the stance. The harsh gold claw at Vincent's side clenched weakly and raised slightly as though the owner were attempting to pull it towards him. He was too weary however and it was far too heavy to his feeble muscles.

Instead, he coughed pathetically and slowly opened his eyes, the lids drooping half over them in pure exhaustion.

"Vincent…?" Cloud pressed warily. "A, Are you awake…?"

He received no answer for a long time, but eventually the ex-Turk's lips moved as though he was speaking. "C… C, Cloud…?"

The leader of AVALANCHE almost laughed for joy at the barely audible word. It sounded painful to his ears, but at the same time he wondered if he'd ever been so happy to hear his own name. "Vincent, can you see me?" He asked quickly.

His only answer was a laboured sigh but the eyes remained open and Cloud's lips pressed together. His moment of happiness had been premature; Vincent wasn't well. 

"Are you okay?" he tried again.

Vincent's face tilted in half a nod, but the look of exertion and agony on his face was pitifully apparent. Cloud gently pushed the hot towel on the vampire's head down, forcing him to be still.

"You're in no position to lie," he said firmly. "I found you washed up on the beach. Do you know where you are?"

Beneath his hand, Cloud could feel Vincent move his head to one side slightly. 

"You're in Junon. I'm no doctor but even I know you're not well, Vincent. You have to try and tell me what happened. Maybe then I can help you get better."

Vincent's mouth opened again but he shut it hastily and with some hidden strength, turned his head to face away from his friend. His eyes closed tightly and he felt infinitely thankful the blonde-haired warrior could no longer see him properly. He would've died a thousand deaths of shame if the ex-SOLDIER saw the tear which fell down his right cheek. He gagged on a sob and coughed violently, finding the energy to cover his mouth with his claw. 

Misunderstanding the action, Cloud soaked a few more towels in the hot water by his feet and gently pushed Vincent onto his back once more. "Try not to move around. If you do then you might agitate any wounds I can't see. I need to keep you warm; you're still freezing-cold."

Vincent made no move to object and fixed his glazed stare on the wooden ceiling above his head. For a long time, the only sound was the dripping of water as Cloud continued bathing his pale, naked skin with hot water in some attempt to heat him up. He didn't care though. In his peripheral vision he could watch his friend carry out the actions with obvious concern. But it didn't matter; nothing did any more. He couldn't even feel the cleansing water as it washed away the blood and grime from his chest or the way the soft, damp towels smoothed over his arms. 

He was cold… so, so cold. 

Cold like ice; cold like a corpse. Cold like a murderer.

"I killed her, Cloud."

Cloud ceased his nursing with a look of puzzlement and stared at his dark companion. "What are you talking about?"

There was an arduous pause and Vincent blinked slowly, his claw clenching briefly. "I killed her again."

His one-man audience looked away in confusion as he attempted to make sense of the meaningful words. Screwing his face up however, Cloud felt a glimmer of muddled comprehension invade his thoughts. "Are you talking about… Lucrecia?" He queried hesitantly. Vincent said nothing more and didn't even blink as his stare bored into the roof above them. 

"If you are talking about… _her_, I thought you'd made your peace. I mean, I thought you'd realised that it was Hojo-"

"Both times…" Vincent whispered. "Both times it was me… ". Only his lips moved but now the rest of his body was utterly stationary as though evening twitching would somehow destroy him. As Cloud's frown fell into sorrow he wondered if the inner desolation of the ex-Turk's soul was so great that it truly would shatter him physically to move. He started to reach out towards him in an attempt to somehow comfort his suffering, but he faltered and drew back, continuing to stare with sorrow and bewilderment surging in his brain.

"I don't understand," he breathed eventually. "What do you mean 'both times'? How have you killed her? I thought she'd gone now… ."

"Yes… gone forever. But not to heaven as she always should have… . She's gone to hell… she's gone to _my_ hell. And I'm the one who's cast her there."

"Vincent, _please_," the younger man pleaded desperately. "Stop talking in riddles. Just… Just let me know what's happened!"

Vincent turned away once more and closed his eyes tightly as another tear rolled from the almond rubies and stained the pillow a darker tone. He gritted his teeth to suppress another sob but it tore through him, turning into a cough as he clutched his knees up to his chest and buried his head in them. 

"I'm so alone…" he gasped through chokes. "I don't have her beside me and now even my demons have deserted me…"

Shock hit Cloud and he physically jolted at the blow. "Y, Your demons have left you?" he repeated in amazement. "Is that why you're not Chaos any more? Vincent, what's happened??"

There was no coherent reply as Vincent elapsed into some kind of fit and begun reciting words to himself, his face still buried in his knees as he rocked on his side. Cloud stared on in horror at the sudden change and almost left the room in sickness and puzzlement. The insane murmurs were halted every few seconds by wracking coughs until there was no time at all between muffled words and Vincent was torn to pieces by choking.

Cloud swore furiously under his breath as he pulled Vincent onto his back and coaxed him to release his grip on his legs. The coughs subsiding to weak moans, Cloud pulled the sheets up to the ex-Turk's waist once more and gently hushed him. In return, Vincent's tightly closed eyes relaxed marginally and his body slackened as he once more slipped into unconsciousness. Checking the vampire's breathing and pulse with panicked movements, Cloud eventually forced himself to calm and slumped back down on the wooden chair beside the cot. The ex-SOLDIER shook his head sorrowfully.

It truly was going to be a long, long night… 

He could feel himself going, but did that really matter? Did anything matter any more?

__

No… she's gone. But I want her back, I'd do anything if only to hold her in my arms once more… .

Can you hear me Luc..? Can you hear your murderer calling you? Can you hear the way I regret what I have done now just as I regretted for thirty-three years what I'd done before? 

They say that some people never learn from their mistakes… that's right isn't it? They don't... I **know** they don't because I'm one of them.

I wish you weren't inside me; I can feel you there you know? I can almost hear you singing if I listen hard enough but I don't want to listen. I don't **deserve** to listen. I only deserve a thousand times what I've done to you. You say you're happy sometimes don't you…? I heard you say that you were happy before I took you in but you were lying. 

No- don't contradict me. And stop singing!! Damnit! Stop trying to make me feel better! I wish I'd never been born, I wish I'd never seen the light of day.

But then…. But then I never would've loved you, would I? Or perhaps I would've. Even if I hadn't met you I would've loved you just as I do now. 

My life would never have been a life if it hadn't been for you. My life no longer **is** a life now that you've gone… away… again… . But this time there is no question, no ability to place the blame elsewhere. It was me. It was me now just as it was then…

…Thirty-nine years ago…


	23. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 23 'Two Minds'
    
    He stood beside the window on the fifth floor of the Shinra HQ. He wasn't sure why; the view was a depressing one as it looked over the decaying plates of Midgar. Perhaps it was because a sense of power could be gained from standing and watching normal people scrape and try to keep their lives going no matter how futile it was. 

**__**

We all die sometime. There is a beginning to our lives so there must be an end. That's certain isn't it? We are all created with the realisation that we will one day be 'un-created'. Perhaps there is a God. Perhaps there is a devil. One thing I knew for sure; this mockery of a human that took such delight in drawing and ending the lives of others would never go to heaven. Would never in such a celestial world feel peace as the innocent would. This demon would never see.…

"How can you bear to look at it?"

He continued to look out of the window; perhaps to search for an answer, perhaps to avoid justifying himself. He wasn't entirely sure. 

"It's... interesting." he answered lamely, irritation creeping into his soft voice at the interruption of his idle contemplation.

"Interesting? Watching those poor people trying to survive?"

He sniffed derisively. "I've seen worse. Below the plates it's not as pretty," he shrugged. "It's the way they've lived all of their lives... . They know no better."

"You speak of them as though they were dumb animals."

He shrugged again. "Most of them are. Some of them are worse than animals for the acts they do. Maybe this is what they deserve."

"That's very arrogant of you."

Vincent narrowed his eyes; he'd killed people for less in his time as a Turk. He opened his mouth and turned to face the person who had dared to interrupt his morose meditations but found whatever harsh words he was going to say stuck in his throat.

**__**

.…an angel. Somewhere in the universe it was decided that I would be tortured. No… I never could and never would pass through the 'Pearly Gates' of a greater existence. Still, 'The Powers That Be' wanted me to be different. Some force, some 'God' was smiling upon me. I felt it. I knew it. What was an angel doing here in the pits of depravity? What was an angel doing here talking to this demon…? Who was I to have taken such a message? Was my life deemed so important by the universe that I should be made to see the error of my ways? Who was this divine apparition? Her name… . She had to have a name. A heavenly, wonderful name….

A beautiful woman stood before him, more radiant than any he'd ever seen before. Light brown wavy hair sat in soft ripples around her shoulders, falling down to the middle of her back where it gleamed like a waterfall in the dim overhead lighting in the room. She stood considerably smaller than him but her appearance was delicate and fragile like an elegant china figure. Her skin was perfect and a soft white, smooth without a mark and her full lips sat beneath a perfect nose. Large, almond hazel eyes looked out from the precious face and met his deep brown ones.

She smiled slightly as though showing too much emotion would shatter her delicate body but his world crumbled at the slight gesture. He continued to stare into her eyes, his mouth open in stunned silence. Eventually, her pale cheeks flushed a light pink and she lowered her eyes and turned away, tearing a piece of his heart with her forever.

"Wh, What's your name?" he stuttered after remembering how to speak.

"Lucrecia," she said, turning back to meet his gaze. "Lucrecia Marionette."

**__**

.…a perfect name… . Lucrecia, that was who she was. That was what she had been named the second that she had been summoned from the stars to witness and melt the heart of this slowly decaying man. Rotting away because of the evil which was putrefying and corrupting my soul. She, in all her divinity and perfection had been sent to me, forcing me to cease my torture….
    
     "That's a beautiful name." he muttered before he could stop himself. Blushing furiously he turned away and looked back out of the window.

"Thank you, Mr...?"

"Valentine. Vincent Valentine," he answered without turning from the view although his eyes kept on straying to her reflection in the blacked glass.

"That's a nice name too... ." she said and his heart leapt although whether it was from her compliment or the very sound of her voice, he couldn't be sure.

"I've never seen you around here before," he added conversationally after a few minutes elapsed without a word between them.

"Yes, I'm new here," she explained. "I worked with Dr. Gast and Hojo in Icicle for a year. I've just been transferred here."

"Oh, I see. You're a scientist?"

She nodded. "It's exciting work, we've just discovered what we believe to be a new life form, possibly alien. Isn't that fascinating?"

The stoic Turk had never expressed or found much interest in science or other complicated matters. To his own philosophy, it was best left to those types of people who enjoyed dominating and controlling things that others couldn't see or understand. However, the sound of her quiet voice lapping against his ears and soothing his tumultuous soul was enough for him to find reason to carry on listening. He reasoned that she could have spoken about the finer points of Mako mining in Correl or the average weather conditions in Costa del Sol and he'd continue to hang upon every phrase. Her words would become his Bible and every syllable utter by her lips would become his heartbeat, his only way to grasp a-hold of and keep his life going.

"Alien?" Vincent repeated with genuine curiosity. "Are there more of them?"

She shook her head. "No, just one. We found her in the snowfields by the Northern Crater."

He seemed to mull over the brief snippets of information before continuing. "Her? How can you be so sure if it's sex if it's an alien?" he questioned. 

There was another long pause, and Vincent turned to look directly at her.

"Well... it kinda looks female."

"Looks female?"

Lucrecia blushed furiously. "It has breasts."

Vincent fell silent. _You walked into that one Valentine_ he mentally admonished himself, laughing harshly at his own awkwardness and stupidity. He coughed nervously and an embarrassed silence fell on them.

"So... umm... you're a Turk, huh?" said Lucrecia eventually.

"Yeah. Looks that way," Vincent responded, feeling as though he could happily shoot himself in the head. "I have been for seven years now."

"Seven years? Wow. So have you been on loads of dangerous missions and things like that?"

He shook his head. "I did at first but not recently. Because of the possibility of war breaking out between Midgar and Wutai, all of the Turks are under orders to stay in the HQ and keep our eyes and ears open for spies."

"Sounds impressive."

He let out a bark of laughter. "I stand here day after day and look for anyone who looks vaguely suspicious. You're the most interesting person I've seen in the past three months."

"Thanks... I think," Lucrecia replied pulling an awkward face.

"Oh, sorry," he said scratching the back of his head nervously. "I, I didn't mean it like that."

He began to blush again, willing the earth to open up beneath his feet and she smiled, only to further his angst. She laughed and it sounded like the ringing of glass bells on a clear morning. 

Before he could stop himself, Vincent Valentine had fallen head over heels; completely and utterly in love.

**__**

.…it prevented me from falling any deeper into the glacial hell I forced in enduring. If it had not been for her, I would have been swallowed up and spat out with a mere shadow of what had once been a human consciousness. She, Lucrecia, was the only one who had been able to melt away the ice and let me be whole. I knew that from the second our eyes met. It should have been that way forever. I think I always knew that deep down. Maybe… just maybe I had realised. Maybe just maybe.…

"Umm, I'm kinda lost," Lucrecia stated when he had ceased his humiliated squirming. "I, I don't suppose you could show me to my apartment could you?"

"Y, Your apartment? Sure. Which one is it?"

"16f." she answered as she read a number off a scrap of paper from inside one of her lab pockets. "Do you know where it is?"

He nodded curtly, perhaps in an effort to disguise the embarrassment which still invaded his thoughts. "Follow me."

Every corridor was the same; walls made of a cold, steely metal with a bold red stamp depicting the famous Shinra-brand logo. Fluorescent lights flickered and hummed above them, beating out the rhythm to an unheard song. They passed few people through the narrow and winding maze that appeared to have no end. But Vincent didn't let her lag or slip behind. His mind ran on auto-run while his eyes kept on flicking over to her slight frame. Every time, she met his gaze and the crimson mask of his humiliation once more flared up. If he had observed her closely enough he would have noticed the same self-conscious colouring touch her own cheeks. 

It was strange. He had never had much more than apathy for any other living souls, but all of a sudden this had all changed. One second he had been standing beside a window looking over one of the most depressing views on the planet, known for turning some to tears. In the next heartbeat, he was willing to give his life for a woman who had had the audacity to question him. No one had dared to do that before. Maybe it was this bravery which had ignited such a spark. Maybe it was her heart-stopping beauty.

**** __

.…somewhere deep inside I always knew she would be the one who would be there. She'd be the one who would take me by the heart and let me witness the wonders of a world undiscovered. An emotion had stirred in the very heart of my soul. It whispered sub-conscious thoughts to a murderer's mind and let it know that this wasn't the way. It didn't have to be like this… . It didn't have to be…. 

Within two minutes they stood together outside of her new home.

"Well... looks like this is where we say goodbye," she said with a smile although there was a hint of sadness on her face.

"It... doesn't have to be." he answered awkwardly. "We... could meet for dinner tonight. I know a few good restaurants around here. I mean I normally eat alone but... I always enjoy company." That was a lie. He hated the presence of other people but she was somehow different.

She looked down at her feet and bit her bottom lip worriedly. "I'm really sorry Mr. Valentine... but Hojo, he wouldn't like that." She lifted her left hand and a simple band of metal gleamed with a gaudily gold light back at him, taunting him and ripping him to pieces with every glimmer. He physically flinched at every painful blow.

"Hojo?" Vincent frowned. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't realise that you were both-"

"Oh, it's alright." she responded in an apologetic voice although Vincent frowned as he was certain he detected an odd undertone to it. "We've been together since we met in Icicle. I wouldn't have expected you to know. After all… we've just met. Many of the colleagues I've worked with for almost a year probably don't even know about our relationship. He can be so cold and distant at times that its as though there is nothing between us… ." She blushed lightly, her voice trailing off as she seemed to realise that she was explaining the finer points of her marriage to a complete stranger.

"I'm sure that your request was innocent anyway," she continued after a brief, embarrassed silence had elapsed between the pair. "But I just have to be up early tomorrow so that we can continue our work in the labs. I'm not sure why but, he just has this weird look he gives me whenever he knows I've been out the night before. I know it sounds stupid, and I'm not trying to avoid you," she added hastily. "But I can't stand working with him when he's like that."

"I understand." Vincent lied curtly, attempting to hide the pain gripping his heart. "Some other time?"

"Yeah... maybe," she said with a forced smile. "Bye."

"…Bye…"

She closed the door and he rubbed his face. 

__

You're going soft Valentine he reprimanded himself as he walked away after giving her door a final, longing glance.

**** __

…………………….…so lonely.


	24. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 24 'In the Great Scheme of Things'

Over the following weeks, he'd waited beside the window at the same time every evening and morning just so that he could catch a glimpse of the woman who had shattered his life so completely. They would always exchange pleasantries and greetings but to his frustrations, it never progressed. As time wore on, he saw less of her; she was often held back at the labs with whatever she'd been working on along with fellow scientists Hojo and Gast. Life couldn't have possibly been slower. But on the rare occasions that they did make eye contact, his futile waiting somehow became totally worthwhile.

On such a night he stood looking out of the window, idly attempting to find the stars through the haze of dull light cast out artificially by the many street lamps and homes on the upper plate. Since he'd spoken to her the first time, he felt numbed and oblivious to the world outside of her. The days passed by without incident or acknowledgement; a decade could've occurred in the time between morning and evening and he wouldn't have noticed. All that mattered was Her. Her alone and nothing else.

He clenched his fists and jaw. How had he been so weak as to allow someone affect him so badly? Many women had tried to get beneath his cold mask but none had ever succeeded. He didn't have the time, patience or desire to get involved in any kind of relationship. It was distracting and meaningless. But every time her saw Her, everything he'd ever believed suddenly crumbled into the arrogant dust and conceited opinions that they were.

Blinking slowly, he looked down at his wristwatch; it was half past midnight. She was late again. 

He began to pace backwards and forwards irritably, his gaze shifting from his watch to the corridor that she would walk down every evening at eleven o'clock. Every night except for that one. He frowned. What could she be doing that held her back so late? 

He _could_ go and look for her. But how could he explain following and trying to find her like a lovesick puppy? 

However, her tardiness was very strange... suspicious even. As a Turk it was his duty to examine anything out of order or unusual. The disappearance of one of the Shinra's top scientist's was odder than anything else that had happened in the past year. 

With a smug smirk, he took a few seconds to check his appearance in the reflective window where he had first met her, his gaze unconsciously flicking over to where her reflection had been cast. He straightened out his thin black tie and brushed down his dark blue jacket and trousers, finally running a gloved right hand through his jet black curtained hair whilst looking into his own deep brown eyes. He pulled a face. 

The long days and nights were beginning to show and shadows were starting to make their presence known under his eyes blemishing the otherwise pale skin. Sleep had become little more than an irritating necessity that prevented him from continuing the dull watch which allowed him to catch a five second glimpse of her face every morning and evening. The way he looked, he wondered whether she thought he was glued to the spot; never even bothering to go to bed. Judging by the way he had stood so diligently at his post, remaining only to pass a humble greeting in murmur to her every morning and evening that wasn't hard to believe. 

__

Ah well, he sighed inwardly. He probably looked better than the old scientists where she worked did. Smiling outwardly in smug satisfaction, he suddenly forced his expression of happiness back as a dark feeling crept up his spine. 

No, this was wrong. It was very wrong. Lucrecia 

(_such a wonderful name…)_

was married. Happily, perhaps not, but she was married nonetheless. She had been bound in body and word to another man 

(_but not in heart and emotion. Words are words but they cannot stop the calling of the soul_) 

and to think that he would be the one to change this was not only immoral, it was conceited. Conceited like him, conceited as he had always been up to their first exchanged words 

(_but I've changed now… . Only one with such divinity could alter the ways of such a twisted demon_). 

Surely she had felt something for him?

He had heard said in his travels and reading that love was only true if it was returned. He had never felt such emotions about anyone before, so she _had_ to feel the same way. That was how things worked in the great scheme of things, wasn't it?

He had to find out. He _had_ to know. Call it his impetuous or Turk-like nature, but he had to find out for certain if this feeling of intense longing and desire to protect was little more than an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. He had to _see_ her again. That was the only way. He had to see her _then_, right at that second otherwise he thought he would go insane through wondering. One look in her eyes, one gesture of her delicate hands or one motion on her slight frame would tell him. The chance to discover what had been written about and dreamt about since the dawn of man could not wait until the morning. If love was something which could really happen, he wanted to know.

Smiling grimly to himself with determination he walked over to the elevators and stepped in, pressing the button for the sixty-seventh floor. After a brief ride (which lasted forever), he stepped out and was greeted with the stench of chemicals and clinical lighting shed over cold steel floors and walls. 

The first level of the Science Department was worse than he remembered it. He tended to avoid the floor; mainly because of the sterile atmosphere but also due to the sneering scientists that looked at him as though he were something that they'd scrapped of their shoes when he glanced in their directions. 

Shrugging off his fears, he sniffed arrogantly and strode forward with resolution. He had nothing to fear; he was President Shinra's pride and joy. The epitome of a Turk and proud of his job and work. 

Still…There was just something unnerving about being around men in white lab coats with clipboards... .

He brushed past several of the weak looking men and women as he walked hastily with poise towards the specimen area, taking the time to have a final glance in a useful piece of glass along his way to make sure he looked presentable.

He eventually stepped into the massive room identified with many of the Shinra's so-called 'scientific wonders'. He wasn't impressed. To him it was a big room full of scorning scientists and weird animals. But it certainly was _big_. The entire chamber took up half the entire floor, reaching up two levels. The ceiling was illuminated with the same, cold lights that flickered and buzzed in the corridors behind him. The same metal covered every possible surface, chemicals and disinfectants sprayed over every second bench in order to destroy the germs which could contaminate and destroy the most delicate pieces of work. Walkways spiralled around the walls, scientists that had taken the time out of their own schedules to work through the later hours scampered and crawled like spiders over the countless walkways and platforms. It reminded him of shooting games he'd seen in carnivals and travelling fairs. _"Ten Gil to for five shots! Shoot more than two scientists and win a prize!"_

There was only one target he sought however and it was for the opposite reasons. He'd rather shield that fragile frame with his own body rather than fire a single bullet in its direction. He raised his eyebrows and almost gave a bark of cold laughter. What a soft-hearted fool he was turning into. The only other people he thought he'd ever 'bite the bullet' for would be his Turk companions, and even then it was due to 'regulations' and 'training'. 

But out of choice...? He'd do this by _choice_…?

It didn't take his sharp eyes long to notice Lucrecia standing on the far side of the room with her back to him fawning over a desk beside another scientist. Trying to appear outwardly calm and cool, he walked over to the nearest animal cage and pretended to take slight interest in a small creature inside. It appeared to be a lion-cub only with ornate feathers and bangles adorning it's limbs and scruffy brown mane. It looked up at him with a curious golden eye that glittered like liquid gold and tilted its head to one side. 

Vincent frowned and the small creature mirrored his expression with a feral quality. He felt a smile tug at one corner of his mouth and again the cub copied him.

"You're a strange little thing." Vincent murmured at the lion creature which stared up at him with an air of intelligence around it.

"I am?" questioned a childlike voice.

His eyes widened as he stared back at the animal with undisguised shock. He lowered his head until his eyes were level with the bizarre little creature. "Y, You did just _say_ something... didn't you? I'm not imagining things."

The cub looked at him innocently and he scratched the back of his head in puzzlement. "I really should get some sleep." he muttered as he turned away.

Keeping one eye on the animal as he began to walk, he didn't notice the accident about to happen until it was too late. There was a yelp of surprise and an explosion of paper as he was knocked backwards. As the many sheets of paper that had been thrown out during the collision began to settle, he found himself looking at a dishevelled Lucrecia who sat messily on the floor facing him, numerous chemicals and files scattered around her being.

"Oh God," he said quickly. "I, I'm so sorry... I didn't see you."

She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off as another person interjected. "Well maybe you should begin to look where you walk you clumsy oaf," snarled a vicious voice.

Vincent looked up, his eyes narrowed threateningly to look up at a thin man who he recognised as having stood beside Lucrecia when he entered. He had long black hair pulled back in a tight ponytail with several messy strands hanging over a thin and contemptuous face upon which perched a pair of round glasses.

"Please, Hojo," started Lucrecia as she picked herself up off the floor. "It wasn't Vincent's fault. I was looking at one of the files and didn't notice him approaching."

"So... the inept imbecile has a name does he?" the man identified as Hojo sneered as he stood beside Lucrecia, looking down on the splayed Turk that glared back at him.

__

So this is Professor Hojo? The scientific prodigy that Lucrecia always talks about? Her… her **husband**?? What a derisive and insulting bastard. If he wasn't so important then I'd shoot him right now... .

He stood and brushed himself down flashing an apologetic look at Lucrecia who pulled a helpless face, biting her bottom lip awkwardly. He couldn't bear to see her so unhappy… . 

"Vincent what?" Hojo asked, looking slightly overwhelmed by the taller Turk.

"Vincent Valentine."

Hojo stared at him for some time until Vincent frowned.

"_Sir_," he spat eventually and the scientist grinned triumphantly. 

"Well then Mr. Valentine. I cannot see what business a Turk could have up in the science department. Unless you would like to destroy any more of my research then I suggest that you leave immediately."

Vincent's gaze flicked back to Lucrecia who was stooped over picking up wads of paper.

"I may as well help to repair some of my damage," he excused quickly as he knelt down beside her and proceeded to pick up some of the broken bottles and test tubes that had once housed unknown substances.

"Careful," warned Lucrecia quietly. "Some of these chemicals are dangerous."

She flashed him a smile that warmed his heart and made his pulse flutter. There had been something in that gesture, no matter how slight it was. It was unmistakable as though she had created a sign and was parading around the lab with it above her head. But at the same time it was private, subtle and deliciously wonderful. His heart almost burst through indefinable joy and elation that he only thought possible in heaven. 

As the overwhelmed Turk cleared up he dared a glance over his shoulder at the monstrous scientist he had met and found to be the husband of this innocent creature. 

What was she doing with such a creep? How on earth had such an obvious demon tamed and captured the heart of this heavenly spirit? 

Then again, why should he think himself any better…?

She stood and began to walk away; he watched her, absently scraping the shards into a pile. He inhaled sharply however as there was a biting sensation in his fingers. When he looked downwards, his eyes torn from the female scientist, he blanched to see a small syringe protruding from his right hand, the needle imbedded deeply under the skin. Lucrecia rushed over having heard his pain and gasped in alarm to see the needle.

"Oh no!" she whispered in obvious horror as she dropped to the floor and held his hand up to her eye level.

"Wh, What is it?" he asked fearfully and there were the sounds of shuffling behind him as someone approached.

"For God's sake!!" screamed a voice. "What the hell have you done??"

Hojo skuttered around to stand next to them and grabbed the hand roughly. He pulled out the syringe with surprising care but threw away Vincent's hand disdainfully once the needle had been completely removed. He held the fragile glass tube up to the light before examining it and swearing furiously under his breath.

He walked away quickly and Lucrecia leapt up and followed him, the two scientists involving themselves deeply in talks while Vincent clutched his hand that was beginning to feel numb. He squeezed the palm and a drop of blood sprang from the needle wound. He brushed it away angrily and stood up to look towards the conversing scientists. 

"What was in the syringe?" he asked eventually.

Hojo turned back to him with anger on his face. "That syringe contained years of research!" he yelled furiously. "You have destroyed it!!"

Vincent's brow furrowed.

"The needle has been contaminated by your diseased touch and is unusable!" Hojo continued, his voice increasing in pitch. "You stupid, clumsy, moronic _bastard_!!"

Lucrecia put a hand on the raging scientist's shoulder in an effort to calm him. "Please, Darling. W, We can start again. Maybe we can even improve on the method of distillation and shorten the time it takes! This doesn't have to be a set-back!!"

Hojo gradually calmed and wiped his mouth free from the spittle that had been thrown out during his vehement screams. He nodded reluctantly to his wife, hurling a dangerous glare at the Turk before striding away towards the specimen elevator.

Lucrecia watched the Professor leave before running over to Vincent who had stood confused and numb during Hojo's fit. "Please," she begged tearfully, genuine concern marring her divine features. "You should leave now before he gets back."

He considered refusing but feeling weary and physically drained all of a sudden; he nodded and turned away from the room, walking slowly towards the exit certain that the voice of a young child had just thanked him for something.

"Uh... Vincent?" she called after him when he reached the doorway.

He paused and looked back at her.

"It might be a good idea if you rest up for a few days. You look exhausted. I'll stop by and see you some time. "

"I'd like that." he smiled wearily and left the room.

Despite the numbness creeping up his body and spreading from his right hand, he couldn't help but allow his weak smile to broaden as he stumbled down the Science Department corridor. 

__

Life, he thought to himself as he leant up against the glass elevator wall, _Is perfect… ._

**__**

"We are all created to be 'un-created'". If only that were always true… .

He wasn't sure how long he slept. When he finally did wake there were many messages on his answer phone and letters were piled up on his doormat. He surfaced only to eat and wash. Even that was brief. Exhaustion overcame him, robbing his body of all its energy and a terrible headache throbbed at the back of his mind. Drinking a glass of water, he slunk back to his bedroom and began to pull the covers up when there was a loud rapping on his front door.

Muttering obscenities to himself, he reluctantly got out of bed and dozily walked to open it, finding difficulty in controlling his muscles and co-ordination. After many pieces of the colourful language had escaped his lips, he eventually succeeded in opening the door, angry curses on his tongue. He found himself choking on them however as framed in the light from the hall that ran outside his apartment stood Lucrecia. He winced from the brightness of the radiance outside and immediately regretted his messy and unkempt appearance. They stared at each other in awkward silence for a few minutes before Vincent gathered his manners and coughed nervously.

"W, Would you like... to come in?" he asked hesitantly.

"If that's not too inconvenient," she replied shyly. "If this is a bad time I can come back later-"

"No!" he answered quickly to her surprise. "Er, I mean n, no. It's all right."

She gave him a smile and stepped into his home as he stood to one side. In normal circumstances he would've rushed ahead of her in a vain attempt to clear up. But at that moment he felt as though he was going to collapse. Tidying up was a physical impossibility.

She walked into the lounge and sat down on a couch, watching him enter slowly and lethargically.

"So... how have you been?" she asked pleasantly once he sat down on the opposite end of the couch as him. "I haven't seen you around for a few days. You really must've been tired."

__

A few days... . I didn't realise it was that long.

"I've just been feeling a bit low. It's been difficult dragging myself out of bed in the morning so I decided not to bother."

She nodded in understanding and watched worriedly as he cradled his head in his hands, rocking backwards and forwards slowly.

"You don't look very well. Can I help?" she questioned concernedly.

The headache seemed to be getting much worse since he'd moved around. It had now completely taken over his brain and he wanted to collapse in his bed and stay there forever. At that moment in time it seemed more appealing than most other things he could think of but Lucrecia was here and he couldn't usher her away like that. Especially not since she'd specifically come to see him. Especially not since he had become so certain of- 

"I'll be fine. Just a headache," he lied quietly through gritted teeth. "I really haven't been sleeping well over the past few months. I guess it's just caught up with me."

She didn't look convinced. "Here... let me check you over," she offered and he didn't try to object.

She helped him to lie down on the couch and proceeded to test his temperature and pulse. He closed his eyes and welcomed the contact. He simply wished that it were under better circumstances.

She frowned after a few minutes of crude examination. "You've got a high fever and your pulse is racing."

He grimaced at the sound of her voice. It seemed harsh and grating although it was no different than always (_wonderful and light_). It somehow sounded louder and nearer as though she was yelling in his ear to torment him and drill into his brain.

"I'll be okay... ." he slurred wearily but her worry was furthered.

"Don't be moron. You're obviously not," she admonished and he flinched.

"Please don't shout." he begged softly and she knelt beside him.

"I'm not shouting, Vincent," she whispered. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"My head... you're shouting in my ear... ." he replied deliriously, obviously in pain.

"Heightened senses... exhaustion... ." Lucrecia mumbled to herself. She put a hand on his forehead that was now covered in sweat and although his eyes were closed, they were twitching violently in a restless coma.

"Vincent? Can you hear me?" she called softly and to her surprise the fit stopped immediately and Vincent's eyes opened, wide and staring.

"She's calling me... ." he muttered feverishly.

Lucrecia's face contorted in anguish. "Vincent? Wh, Who's... calling you?"

"Her."

"Who?"

"She is... . I won't go... Lucrecia..." 

He turned to her, fear in his eyes like she'd never seen in another human being before. "Please don't let her take me... !"

"What-?"

"Please!" he begged fearfully and he grabbed Lucrecia's hand with startling speed and strength. "Don't let her come!"

"You're hurting me!" Lucrecia exclaimed as his grip increased.

"Promise me!"

"I promise." she repeated. "Let go of me!"

"PROMISE ME!" he yelled and she pulled away, tears welling in her almond eyes.

"I PROMISE!" she shrieked and he cried out in agony and put his hands over his ears.

She leapt back, Vincent's hold no longer on her. She massaged her wrists and stood up, backing away from the delirious Turk who was writhing in agony, his hands still planted firmly over his ears from the loud sounds and phantoms which whispered unthinkable things into his mind. 

"I am so sorry Vincent," she whispered tearfully. "This wasn't meant to happen... ."

He continued to twist in agony. She doubted that he even knew where he was and prayed that he wasn't aware of what was happening. She looked down at him; his face distorted in terrible pain and sweat dripping off his pale skin as he cried out in delirious sleep.

"I'm so sorry." she repeated and she ran from the apartment, tears falling down her face.

"Hojo!" Lucrecia cried as she threw herself into the laboratory. Her breath rattled in her lungs due to lack of exercise and the non-stop marathon from the elevator doors. Her heart pounded in her ears until she thought it would drive her insane. But still she continued, the harrowing image of the disturbed Turk in her mind. The cold scientist turned from his work and looked icily at her, nearly black eyes regarding her with cool curiosity. Her long brown hair hung over her face as she bent double in order to gain her breath without avail. Swallowing hard she pulled herself up straight and he pulled a disgusted face at red tear marks around her eyes. "It's Vincent," she began. "You, we can't do this to him!"

"The Turk?" Hojo inquired without a note of interest as he once more began to fiddle with the equipment before him.

"You know who I'm talking about!" she cried. "Of course it's the Turk! You know damn well it is!"

He swivelled around with startling speed and slapped her hard across the cheek. She gasped and stumbled back, almost falling to the floor as she clutched the stinging red mark.

"Get a-hold of yourself woman!" Hojo exclaimed angrily. "I will not have that kind of hysteria in my lab!"

__

It's not **your** lab; its **Gast's** Lucrecia contended mentally, her thoughts known only through the murderous glare that she gave him. She pulled herself up straight again and stared him directly in the eyes. "This isn't right. There must be a vaccine or something."

"Lucrecia my dear, you seem to forget that what was injected into his body is not a virus that can simply be destroyed by a series of treatments," he shook his head. "There is nothing we can do. It was his own stupidity that led to this-"

"It was _my_ fault." Lucrecia argued in a low tone. "I've already told you that."

"Then let it be over _your_ head." Hojo snarled maliciously as he stalked away from her over to a fumigated glass cabinet that stood in one corner of the lab. Lucrecia fell instantly silent but watched him as he pulled out a syringe that contained a softly glowing, magenta liquid. There were ten marks on the side of the glass tube but the liquid only reached as far as the second. "I must admit," he stated with a degree of admiration. "I'm surprised he hasn't died yet. Maybe his death will be considerably more lingering than I predicted it to be."

"You sick, heartless man," the female scientist whispered as she shook her head. "You _want_ him to die."

Hojo glanced up at her over the instrument. "On the contrary my _love_," he began, placing a sarcastic emphasis on his term of affection. For a fraction of a second, Lucrecia's heart leapt as he seemed to hint at something. Did he know? Had her husband realised exactly what she was so concerned about? Did the man she had bound herself to with a band of gold grasp what had been flitting around her heart for the past few weeks since her arrival in the HQ? As he continued, her suspicions slowly faded until they had gradually disappeared into irrelevancy.

"He is the first human to have pure Jenova cells transfused into him. I am most anxious to see the outcome. If he dies tomorrow then I shall find nothing."

Lucrecia's shoulders slumped and her head bowed. "I, I have to tell him... ."

"Oh please do tell me what, or even _how_ you shall break this little piece of news." He put the syringe down on the desk and proceeded to flounce around the lab in an exaggerated feminine walk with a high pitched voice. "'Oh, by the way Vincent... while you were too busy _drooling_ over me to look where you were going, you managed to inject yourself with the cells of an alien life form. It's quite possible that you'll turn into a _hideous_ monster or you might even die in an unimaginably _painful_ way but don't worry because I'll be around to act like a _slut_ and take your mind off it!'"

"How DARE you!" Lucrecia screamed with her pale cheeks flushed a furious red. " We're married for God's sake! How can you say something like that??"

Hojo ceased his taunting and looked at her blankly. "Because that's exactly what you would have to say. You want to tell him the truth? You may as well repeat what I've said." 

He moved to sit at one of the lab stools that bordered the vast tiled floor. As he perched upon one, looking at her delicate figure that was trembling with anger and passion, he felt a twinge of sadness deep within his blackened heart. "As for your 'admirer', I accept that as who you are." 

There was a long period of silence and he slowly stood and, moved over to stand next her. His cold, spidery hands reached up with the surprising gentleness used in his finest experiments and he stroked the side of her face. 

"You are a very beautiful woman, Lucrecia. It is no surprise to me that men are falling over themselves to please you. However, no matter what they say or do, you're mine now," he said calmly in a soft voice full of an emotion no one in his lifetime would ever hear mixed with a touch of firmness. "Not only are you my wife in the eyes of God," he began, scornfully making his reference to religion. "But we are joined in science. You signed a contract to give yourself to me. I get your body and you get your name in history as the one to create the greatest creature the planet has ever known. Do you wish to jeopardise this?"

"No," Lucrecia answered quietly. "Of course I don't."

"Then be a good girl and stop flirting with the poor man. Don't you see that your girlish games shall only torment him further?" Hojo became thoughtful. "Actually... continue as you wish. I think I may find amusement in watching you increase his agonies."

Her eyes began to brim with tears. "If I do anything for him, then it will be of my _own_ accord, not to further your own sick fantasies." She waved an arm towards the wall of caged animals that Hojo kept in the lab, the small red lion that Vincent had examined the night before watching the argument intently. "Have your fun on these but don't play with a human being so carelessly. It's not right!"

"And you torturing him so, is?"

She fell silent but her mind reeled with mixed emotions and conflicting thoughts.

After a while Hojo coughed to break the stiff quietness. "How is he?"

Lucrecia looked up. "Why should I tell you anything?"

"Because I am your superior as well as your husband and I am ordering you to," he growled. "How is Valentine?"

Lucrecia sighed wearily, painful memories of her last encounter with him flashing before her eyes tainted with the swirls of another strong emotion she could not yet grasp. "He's... not very well at all. From what I can tell he has heightened and highly receptive photosensitivity. I'm not certain but perhaps even his physical strength has altered also." She rubbed her wrists absently.

Hojo's eyes took on a glazed shine as he became increasingly interested in what she said. "Go on," he urged irritatedly.

"Other than that, he seems to be in a fever. His temperature is abnormally high and his brain is in a state of delirium. He kept on telling me that a woman was calling to him." 

Hojo's brow furrowed and he took a step closer to her.

"A woman? Who?"

Lucrecia shrugged contritely. "I don't know; I honestly don't. Whenever I tried to ask him, he just panicked and kept on referring to her as 'She'."

Hojo sank into his thoughts and walked nonchalantly across the room to stop next to a large metal dome into which was set a circular window. He stood on tiptoes and peered in through the window to examine the throbbing mass of pink cells within.

"So... you call to him do you?" he murmured. "You call to him but you do not speak to me, your loyal servant. What games are you playing with me now, hmm?"

"H, Hojo?" called Lucrecia with a puzzled expression.

The thin scientist snapped out of his brief moment of thought and turned to look at her. "You will watch Valentine," he ordered. "Perhaps his clumsy accident will not be such a bad thing. After all, that syringe was intended for one of these animals first in order to test out what the cells will do to another living organism. Having them injected directly into a human will save time. If Shinra asks, then we will not be lying when we explain that it was a mishap."

Lucrecia nodded curtly and began to walk out of the lab. Just as she was about to enter the corridor that ran outside the vast room of science, she paused and glanced back at her husband. "He won't... _die_ will he?"

Hojo met her stare. "Why? Do you have feelings for him?"

"No," Lucrecia answered, a little too quickly to sound convincing in Hojo's mind. "I, I just think that it would be a shame if such a valuable specimen died so early."

A thin grimace touched Hojo's lips but he disguised it and gave a dismissive wave of his hand "Go on, stupid woman," he muttered icily. "You're disturbing my work." 


	25. Through the Looking Glass

****

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 25 'The Serpent and the Apple'

Swallowing her fear, Lucrecia dubiously raised her hand and knocked on the door to apartment 71f. There were the sounds of someone tripping and swearing loudly inside which oddly cheered her. A bright smile lit up her face as the door opened and a set of deep brown eyes stared back at her through the narrow crack. They blinked a few times in obvious surprise but seemed to warm as they fell upon her frame and looked her up and down. 

"Lucrecia," said a pleasantly surprised voice, her heart fluttering like a bird trapped in a cage, begging to be set free. "Nice to see you. Do you want to come in?"

She nodded, the smile never leaving her lips and he opened the door fully, standing to one side in order for her to pass. 

As she entered Vincent's home she was momentarily taken aback by the dramatic change in himself and his surroundings. The curtains were open giving the once depressing room a light and airy feel. His steps were calm and confident as they always had been when she'd seen him in the past. His curtained, jet-black hair was immaculately groomed and there were no dark smudges beneath his almond eyes. He wore his perfect Turks suit and his small pistol sat on the coffee table before one of the couches. He motioned for her to sit and she did so, unwilling to seem impolite. She sank into the luxurious, black leather seating and leant back comfortably. Even the seating seemed more comfortable; the recovery which had come over the apartment and its inhabitant was almost miraculous. 

He disappeared into one room and re-entered minutes later carrying a tray with two cups of coffee on it.

"Coffee?" she asked bewildered. 

"Yeah, two sugars, right?" he responded to her puzzlement.

"How did you know?"

He seemed suddenly thoughtful and his brows knitted together. "Did I not ask?"

She shook her head and he shrugged with a slight smile.

"Lucky guess I suppose," he explained lamely as he sat down on a couch opposite her. Their eyes met and she gave a slight smile, directing her gaze towards the brown liquid in order to avoid his questioning expression. She sipped her coffee and silence weighed upon them as she began to ponder his strange intuition. Unwilling to dwell on the odd occurrence however, she placed down her cup and regarded him carefully. "So how have you been?" she inquired eventually with a light tone of voice.

"I've been fine," he answered simply. "I've slept solidly for the past few days and I'm ready to go back to work for now."

"But you were seriously ill yesterday," she contended in puzzlement and he met her gaze.

"Ill? No I wasn't."

She nodded firmly. "You were. I came around to see you. I, I thought you were dying. You were seriously delirious!"

He looked at her with unabated astonishment. "I was? You came to see me?"

She nodded again, this time hesitantly as though unsure how he would react to the information. He didn't seem to be alarmed, only greatly confused and she found herself oddly unsurprised at the reaction. "You truly can't remember? Well, you _were_ almost unconscious at the time so I suppose that's not too shocking."

He looked down at his hands and then up at her face again. "I feel fine now though," he protested.

She stood up and walked past the table to sit down next to him. He frowned in confusion but her expression remained contemplative as she reached up and placed her palm gently on his forehead. He felt a tingle rush up and down his body at the touch and felt as though he could leap up and run around the HQ a thousand times screaming about just how happy he was at her contact. But he forced his pulse to calm and sat as still as he could for her crude test.

Her expression crumpled into a ponderous frown as she withdrew her hand leaving him with a feeling of desire he'd never experienced before. A long period of hush elapsed as she sipped her coffee thoughtfully and he did likewise, glancing in her direction out of the corners of his eyes. She peered up at him over the rim of the cup, her blush hidden as their eyes met in the awkward silence. Eventually, he placed the mug on the table and turned fully to her.

"Well?" he queried curiously.

She paused to gather her thoughts and slowly turned to him. "You seem… fine now," she responded deliberately, unable to quite grasp what thought flickered through her head.

A smile found its way onto his mouth. "Then I hope that the expert doesn't mind if I go to work?"

She looked back at him, a brown eyebrow raised gracefully over a hazel eye. She was obviously trying to look agitated or serious, but it collapsed as the contagious smile started to turn up the corners of her lips. "I suppose you can," she said. "But I want you to take it easy, war or not. If you even get the _slightest_ sign of illness, you have to find Dr Hojo or I _immediately_. Understand?"

Vincent's smile was washed away at the sound of the callous scientist's name and the glacial mask which defined his Turk occupation found it's way onto his visage, unsuccessfully disguising the antipathy in his eyes. Lucrecia's heart gave a sudden chill at the inscrutable visage and for once she found herself completely unable to see into those beautiful brown eyes. It terrified her to the very depths of her soul and she unconsciously leant away from him with wide eyes. "Why should I talk to him?"

She started to speak but the words stuck in her throat. For a short time the only things which whirled through her mind were her husband's cruel jibes the night before. What exactly could she tell this man who had been nothing but a perfect gentleman since they had first met? What could she say that would not destroy the strangely handsome Turk that sat worriedly beside her?

"There were… chemicals in that needle which you pricked yourself on a few nights ago," she answered being purposefully selective with her information. He had done more than 'pricked himself'. Fate had decided that Vincent Valentine would in fact have eighty-percent of a lifetime's worked injected into his system. A lifetime's worked which left his future uncertain and physical and mental nature a horrific mystery.

She swallowed forcefully as she watched that glacial front melt into a sudden panic. "We just want to make sure that you'll be all right," she ended in a soft lie.

"'We'?" he exclaimed with a bark of cold laughter as he picked upon her words with a vicious anger and stood up roughly. He flicked an ebony bang off his face and turned away in disgust. "Anyone would think that the bastard even cared if I was still breathing this morning!"

Lucrecia lowered her eyes and stared at the floor. A gesture Vincent mistook as hurt was actually the representation of the terrible guilt that she felt gripping at her soul. A grip she somehow knew would not be relinquished, for a long, long time. He turned back to her helplessly and sank back onto the seat with a heartbreakingly apologetic glimmer in his brown irises. He felt his very soul twist and writhe in agony at the sight of his wonderful angel contorted in such emotional pain. 

He loathed himself at that moment more than he ever had before. 

"I, I'm sorry Lucrecia," Vincent whispered hoarsely. "You and he… . I didn't mean to snap at you like that. Please accept my apology."

Vincent's humble attitude and remorse only further the scientist's anguish and she turned her head away from him, putting a hand to her mouth in order to hold back the sob which threatened to rip up her throat.

"Lucrecia…?" Vincent asked quietly as a hollow feeling chilled his soul. His mind reeled with disbelief at the fact he had just inspired such a reaction to the only pure thing in his life. 

Before he could reach out and touch her in an act of repentance, she quickly stood with her back to him in order to hide the tears that now welled in her eyes and had spilled over like waterfalls down her cheeks.

"Just remember what I've said to you," she ordered in a choked murmur.

She began to move away from him and towards the exit without another sound. The door opened and shut with loud bangs before he could even walk around the table in front of him. As the sounds of her feet carrying her rapidly away from the apartment faded in the corridor, Vincent sank back down onto his couch and put his face in his hands.

She perched in the edge of the wooden bench in the HQ arboretum, an apple resting on her lap. Although her hair was tightly pulled back, several bangs hung loose and covered her eyes. She was glad for this; if anyone had seen the red smudges beneath her hazel gaze, they would have asked her what was wrong. It would've destroyed her to explain her dilemma. 

Thinking it over was one thing; saying it aloud was quite another. 

Ignoring any passers-by and focusing solely on the fruit held between her hands she stayed silent, discreetly tucked away in an ivy covered corner. She hadn't been at the HQ long, but it hadn't been difficult to find a place to be comfortable in. 

Her parents had warned her of what a cold and harsh place the hub of Midgar was, but she didn't want to hear their objections. What did they know? They'd lived in Icicle all of their lives and knew little of the world outside snow and ice. Her aspirations and ambitions had always been greater.

Perhaps that's why she was here. Perhaps that's why she had sold her body and mind to a harsh world of experimentation and malice?

Lucrecia blinked hard to fight back the tears. _Why have I always been like this?_ She asked herself rhetorically, knowing well that if she knew the answer she wouldn't be there in the first place. _Why couldn't I have simply settled down, safe and content, happy to run the hotel like mother always wanted me to? Why did I have to sell my soul to the devil…?_

She gave a drawn out sigh and rolled the apple in her hands. Smooth and soft beneath her hands it felt so real and yet so vague in her touch. It was a bright red one, her favourite kind; the colour of rubies. She remembered liking them as a child; they were rare in Icicle which made them even more special. She distinctly remembered roasting apples which her parents over a blazing fire in the Inn fireplace. And yet now it was different. _Then_ it had been something so wonderfully delicious and innocent; now it was something so much more sinister. It's scarlet skin was so shockingly like the deep crimson of blood. Blood made her think of suffering and in turn science. 

Before she even realised it, science dragged her to experimentation and finally …_Vincent_.

She frowned a little, surprised at herself. The frown dissipated to utter openness however and a look of anger and helplessness at herself. She was so damned caught up in trying to make sense of what flashed through her body and mind whenever they made physical contact, that she didn't even notice the world around her. But it was much more than that, so much more. What flickered through her mind at that moment in time was the feeling that went though her _soul_ whenever their eyes happened to meet. She hadn't thought about her husband all day except to give him a routine peck on the cheek as he fawned over his medical papers. 

As she reflected back on their stilted conversation that morning she frowned a little. He was being cold, colder than usual if that was possible. Something was bothering him.

Her elegant hazel eyes widened a marginally hinting at only a millionth of the panic which suddenly attacked her heart. What if he _knew_? 

But… knew _what_ exactly?

She gave an indignant sigh. She didn't even know herself so how could _he_…? But still, she found herself unable to shake off the turmoil of emotions bubbling through her. She knew that if she were a stronger person she could've hidden them and allowed them to simmer until she was prepared to sift through them one by one. But she wasn't strong, and knew that well. Perhaps a little too well. She wasn't strong enough to resist the lure of the bright-lights Midgar had promised her. And when Hojo had proposed… . 

Her thoughts trailed off.

If her husband had happened to pass by at that moment he could have seen straight into her soul and would've probably murdered her for what was visible. Maybe it would be better if he knew; maybe all she needed was for someone to take her by the shoulders and just _tell_ her what was fluttering through her heart. There was no chance of that happening though; not there and not then. Screened by smattered green foliage and the chestnut bangs of her hair no one could possibly know that she was there… It was the only sacred place in the whole of Midgar and it was _her_ place. So private and so secret; not even Hojo knew her place of meditation and peace. 

No one did…

"If that apple is as interesting as it seems to be, I may have to borrow it from you at some point."

Lucrecia jolted so hard that the fruit tumbled from her grip and landed with a thud on the grassy floor. She leapt to her feet and spun to face the speaker. The shock didn't fade as she examined him in an almost accusing fashion.

A man stood before her; she'd never seen him before. If Vincent was handsome for his pristine suit, and dark demeanour, this man was handsome for his lightness and casual appearance. He had dark blonde hair which brushed against his shoulders, layered into an angular face. He was totally clean-shaven save for a small, dark brown goatee which started at his bottom lip and tapered to a point just below his chin. He wore a very loose fitting, baggy white shirt with the top few buttons undone exposing hints of a subtly muscular chest. On his legs he donned light-brown combat trousers and clean, white trainers. Her gaze lifted back to his face and she was startled to see shockingly cold blue eyes staring intently back at her.

His lips turned upward in one corner to give a lopsided smirk. "I didn't mean to scare you," he said simply.

"Th, That's… all right," Lucrecia stuttered in return. "I was… just thinking. I didn't hear you approach."

His smirk didn't shift at all and he gave a single nod. He held out a hand towards her and she took it lightly, apprehension obvious in her faltering action.

"Daniel Janus," he told her unprompted.

She snapped out of her dazed silence and seemed to realise he was telling her his name. Blushing slightly at her slowness, she gave a slight smile. "Lucrecia Marionette."

"That's a beautiful name, Lucrecia," Daniel smiled, and despite herself, her cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of crimson. "I had a feeling it was you."

"Thank you," she muttered, pulling her hand back as she turned slightly. Who was this young man who had intruded so suddenly on her meditations? He was charming, certainly, but there was something about him… . Delicate brown eyebrows met over the bridge of her nose. "What do you mean by 'you had a feeling it was me'?" she pressed him in an almost accusing fashion.

"May I?"

She looked back at him.

"Sit down?" he clarified and she nodded.

"I was just leaving actually," she told him with an uncharacteristically terse tone. "I have work to do."

"Really? That's actually what I've come to see you about. Where are you going?"

She felt a sudden hesitance to reveal anything about herself to the handsome, young stranger but found herself speaking before she could think. "The labs."

He gave a frighteningly knowing nod and his smile remained in place. "It appears as though I didn't need to find you at all then."

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm an assistant to Hojo on this Jenova Project of his," he told her. His tone was deceptively cheery; she found herself unable to turn away from his glacial blue eyes. "He told me to come down here and see if I could find you. He said he needs to discuss something with you."

She stared at him with an almost incredulous glare. "Why did he tell _you_ to come and find me? Why didn't he come himself if he knows where I am?"

He shrugged. "He looks preoccupied with something. I thought he was going to jump me when I first walked into his office! He just turned around and told me to come down here though. Said it was important."

She turned away briefly in thought. 

"I'm guessing that he wants you up there right away. He sounded unsure, like it had taken him a while to come up with the courage to make a decision of some kind."

Without even thinking, Lucrecia turned and glared at the young stranger who claimed to know more about the man she lived with then she did. She opened her mouth to ask how he had the nerve to suddenly presume to know so much about so little but stopped herself in time.

Instinctively saying nothing more about herself, she took a step back to the pathway; never breaking eye contact with him. "I was just leaving," she repeated expecting some kind of reaction. His expression remained as frozen as ever; designed to give the impression of emotion but revealing absolutely nothing of the man behind it. Her eyes narrowed at his inscrutable aura and she opened her mouth to speak. No words came out though as she found it impossible to vociferate her thoughts and so she closed her lips and gave a simple nod. "Nice meeting you Mr Janus."

She turned and began to leave when he suddenly made a noise. Spinning around she was just in time to catch her apple as it was thrown gently in her direction. She fumbled with it for a few seconds, trying to overcome the shock of the action. Clutching it firmly in a hand by her side, she lifted her head to scowl at him but found the angry words in her throat stuck fast.

"Don't want to forget your apple do you?" he asked her in a perfectly pleasant tone. "It was nice meeting you too, Miss Marionette." He seemed to mull on his words. "Miss Marionette? Peculiar that isn't it? How you didn't introduce yourself with your married name?"

She blinked once before walking hastily from the area.

Hojo looked up from the work surface as he caught sight of movement in the corner of his eyes. Lifting his stare, he turned his head and gazed askance at his wife. Lucrecia entered his office warily, biting her bottom lip and holding the forearm of one arm in the opposite hand. Her steps were faltering and her eyes flickered around the room as though she'd never set foot in there before.

"Can I help you, dear?" he asked, turning fully and drawing himself up to his full height.

Hojo certainly wasn't a short man, but he never walked; always strode or paced quickly. The hasty gait always meant that his back was slightly hunched, knocking inches from his vertical height. Large round glasses sat high on the bridge of his nose and he pushed them up further in an unnecessary, unconscious action as he focused on his wife. She stopped in her tracks and lingered on the cold, tiled floor a few metres from him. Her eyes were fixed on a spot near where he had been working; her mind was clearly troubled.

"What's wrong?"

She slowly lifted her eyes and met his eyes. "Nothing," she answered dreamily. "Just thinking."

"About what?" Hojo asked her. 

She shrugged. "Nothing much."

He stared at her thoughtfully for a few minutes before swivelling back to his work and toying absently with the various test tubes and assortment of chemicals laid out before him. He gave a quiet cough. "You're up here because Janus found you, I presume?" he asked her openly.

She didn't answer for a long time; so long that he was starting to turn around before she uttered a word. "Janus? Yes… . He spoke to me in the gardens."

Hojo nodded and stayed as he was, one eye visible to her and the other obscured by the bridge of his nose. He blinked a few times and hesitated before finally standing again. Although Lucrecia's mind seemed to persist in wandering elsewhere, his agitation and fumbling movements were obvious to her. The realisation focused her thoughts and she removed the glazed look from her face as she turned fully to him. "Yes," she repeated. "He said that you wanted to speak with me."

He nodded and swallowed. After a second's stilted thought, he tentatively took a few steps forward and scooped her hands into his own. She looked in puzzlement at his hold and then met his eyes. "What's wrong?"

He met her eyes with an unabated stare and his eyelids didn't even flicker until his small speech had been completed. "It's… time," he began cryptically. "President Shinra is getting impatient. He knows nothing about the small advances we've made. Or the _mishaps_ which have occurred during our time here."

Lucrecia swallowed. It didn't take a genius to understand what he was referring to; _Vincent _and the entire_ Jenova Project_.

"Nonetheless," he continued. "He wants to see results. Us merely turning around and stating that we've succeeded in extracting Jenova cells to their purest form isn't good enough; I can guess right here, right now that he already presumes we were able to do that. The man has money, but only a brain for business. Patience is not a virtue to own in the lifestyle he runs. Moves have to made quickly and mercilessly. Our own work is an _artform_ which requires time and so much more effort than running a franchise.

"I cannot risk going upstairs and asking him to grant us a few more years. The race of soldiers he's charged us with creating is what he wants and he wants it _now_. Wutai gathers strength every day whilst the Shinra Inc continues to swallow up and spit out companies in the confines of Midgar. He wants the world and the one time he places his frustrations upon the Science Department, he can't understand what we need!

"Gast is up there now, trying to buy us a few extra months at least. I doubt it'll work though… ."

Lucrecia almost fell to the floor in shock. Hojo's words had been jumbled and unclear; his attitude towards President Shinra was infamous in the Department but that wasn't what bothered her. She wanted time; of _course_ she wanted time. The whole reason for her coming to Midgar in the first place rested upon the shoulders of the Jenova Project. But this meant more… so much more.

Hojo was agitated because the limited time could result in disaster. Years of fine experiments and theories were one thing, but putting them into practise was quite another. So far their only close results had come from Vincent but he was nowhere near the advanced level their final experiment would be. He was a grown man; the Project required a child.

__

A child…

Lucrecia's hands slipped from Hojo's and she fell to the floor with a thump. It took him a few seconds to realise that she was no more standing before him and he leapt back in shock at her reaction. Frowning in irritation, he knelt down next to her and dragged her into a sitting position.

"Wake up," he said firmly as he gave her shoulders a rough shake. Her eyes snapped open and stared in horror at him.

"A, A child," she murmured and his brow furrowed even deeper.

"What?"

"A child," she repeated. "The Project… needs a child. I'm not ready… not yet."

Hojo gave a threatening snarl. "You signed a contract," he growled as his grip on her shoulders increased and it felt as though ten daggers were cutting into her skin. She gasped in pain. "Time was never an issue. You gave your life to this work and I expect you to give it. Your bond is broken the second I have the baby in my possession, after that you may continue to practice science or you can leave."

Lucrecia stared at him in horror. "The _child_?" She gasped in alarm. "Is that all you care about? I thought you married me because you loved me, not because you wanted to ensure I didn't run away after I signed that precious piece of paper you hold so dearly! You wouldn't even care if I left afterwards??"

Hojo's eyes flashed with a moment's panic, but his face set quickly into the hard, impassive mask she was so used to him wearing since they said goodbye to Icicle. His mouth was pulled into a thin white line and he pulled her to her feet. "Don't be like that," he said and she wondered whether or not she detected a tone of sorrow in his words. Sorrow for his actions, or sorrow because it was the truth? Her jaw tensed as she fought to refrain from asking him. "You know I love you," he told her firmly. "That has never been an issue. But what's going to happen has been the purpose for our lives for so long now. Whether you're ready or not, it has to go ahead. You understand that don't you?"

Despite herself, Lucrecia nodded emotionlessly.

"We've been married for three years now. Most couples have a family before now; just view this entire event as our own attempt at what …'_normal_ people' do. What happens afterwards is not of consequence. You do not even have to be involved."

"I can't just walk away. It'll be my baby which is poked and prodded. For the amount we know, it may not even resemble a human!"

A tear slipped from one of her eyes and tumbled solitarily down her ivory cheek. Hojo cupped her face in his hands and wiped away the salty droplet with one of his thumbs. "Don't think like that," he told her in a soft whisper. "Don't even worry about things like that. We've worked so hard up until now that if anything goes wrong then it was always meant to be. Fate is a peculiar thing. It was pure coincidence that the Shinra drilling company happened to be exploring up on the snowfields in the same place as the Lifeform was buried. It was wonderful serendipity which led to you and I working on the same team up there. So many things have gone right that it would be sheer insanity for luck to change so rapidly."

She gave a nod under his grasp and his hands slipped to his sides.

"I knew you'd understand," he said, and for the first time that day a weak smile turned up the corners of his lips.

There was a light rapping on the door to the Office and Lucrecia found herself suddenly pulled back as Hojo marched over to the doorway. Dr Gast stood outlined in the clinical light of the vast outer-lab, a haggard expression marred his middle-aged features and a clipboard sat snugly under his arm.

Lucrecia had always liked the older man. Even though she had married Hojo, the two scientists had unconsciously played 'good-cop, bad-cop' since she'd know them. It was only now, in relation to so many factors did she understand that she's fallen in love with the wrong man.

But love? Hah! _Love_?? She had known nothing about it! If what she had felt then was love, what she felt _now_ was the birth of a universe; it was the start of all life and creation of emotion as her soul floated with the wings of an angel amongst the heavens. And that was merely at the _thought_ of His face. But whenever He touched her, _oh god_, whenever He _touched_ her it was as though a million butterflies fluttered in her heart and took her soul before God himself. The thought made her go weak at the knees and she rested the palm of a hand on the bench beside her.

A sudden exclamation of anger however tore her from the divine thoughts and her head snapped up. Hojo gave a roar of fury and shoved past Gast and out into the labs to take out his rage on an unsuspecting lackey. Glancing around with a puzzled and thoroughly stunned expression, Lucrecia looked to Dr Gast.

"Hojo," the older man said eventually with a humourless laugh. He shook his head. "I'm sure he'll calm down soon."

"Wh, What did you tell him?" she asked warily. "What did President Shinra say?"

"It's… not good news I'm afraid, my dear," he sighed as he rested his back against the doorframe and held the clipboard over his front behind folded arms. He crossed his ankles and stared down at a space on the tiled floor numbly. "President Shinra seemed to interpret my request for more time as a hidden desire to move to better, more calming locations. He seems to think that without the hustle and bustle of Midgar we'll do five years work in the space of nine months."

Lucrecia's jaw dropped open and her long eyelashes quivered in terror. "W, We're… moving?" she asked and she was rewarded with a single nod. "We can't move!" She cried and Gast looked at her in surprise.

"I know, I know," he sighed eventually with a helpless shrug. "I tried to tell him that it was pointless and we don't need a nice view; we need more research and _time._ Unfortunately the word has no meaning whatsoever to that man."

"Where are we going?" Lucrecia asked, already feeling the colour drain from her cheeks.

"Nibelheim."

"But that's on the other side of the world!"

Gast frowned a little. "I must say, I think you're taking this worse than your husband, Lucrecia! Is there something here you don't want to leave behind? You've only been living here a few months!"

Lucrecia's mouth closed hastily and she turned away quickly. _Love doesn't know what time means either_, she whispered mentally to herself._ I knew I loved Him from the second I lay eyes on Him. His wonderful, ebony hair and ivory skin. Those beautiful, almond eyes; the way that they just wrap me up and make me want to give myself completely to him. And I would've…! Eventually I'm **sure** I would've!_

But now… . Never again. I'll never see him. I'll be lucky to survive these experiments; I know that even if my husband doesn't... . Maybe this is all part of that fate he was talking about. Things are meant to be if they happen. There's no use in looking back and regretting the past because we cannot live out our lives thinking of different outcomes when there could only ever be one.

…But, if that's true… why does it hurt so much…?

"Mrs Hojo?"

Lucrecia's head lifted sharply and she almost collided with Gast who stood close to her.

"I'm sorry, Jonathan," she sighed and shook her head apologetically. "My mind was elsewhere. My husband is so excited about this whole thing. Secretly, deep inside I think he's glad for the sudden pressure. But me…? I'm just not ready for this. Being pregnant; it seemed so distant and unreal that I didn't even consider it happening."

"Don't worry, Lucrecia," Jonathan Gast smiled kindly. "I'll talk to Tobias, I'll make sure he takes things slowly no matter what his eager impulses and Shinra tell him to do. I'll look after you, okay? There's nothing to worry about."

Lucrecia looked up at him and found a genuine smile creep up on her soft lips. She stood on tiptoes and pecked his cheek lightly. "Thank you Jonathan," she murmured. "You've been too good to me. I don't know what I'd do without you."

He chuckled and patted her on the shoulder. "You'd live out your life and be happy that you never had a doddering old scientist interfering in it."

She laughed at him, her soul feeling as though it was on the brink of collapse and he left the room. The second the door closed, she let out a wracking sob and fumbled in the drawers for a piece of paper and a pen.

Perching on a stool and wiping her face clean of the bitter tears which ran down her cheeks with the back of her sleeve, she began to write a letter.

With a light 'ping', the elevator doors opened and Lucrecia stepped through, tucking a strand of chestnut hair behind her ear as it fell lose from her ponytail. She smoothed down her lab coat, tugging on the collar of the turquoise T-shirt she wore beneath it uncomfortably. She hated the restricting uniform; it seemed so demeaning and coldly categorising. Jenova Project workers donned turquoise shirts whilst those who experimented on the properties of Mako had a dark blue polo neck on. It was a neater and more definable method of seeing who everyone was; reading badges required time and there were already too many keycards to carry around. When she had first arrived, a scientist required small wallet just to contain the many security passes and cards they needed to move around without being thrown into a cell. Colours were just one of Jonathan Gast's many new ideas he'd developed since returning to Midgar from his brief time in Icicle. At first it had seemed wonderfully revolutionary; now it was just another obvious way to see who was better than everyone else.

Clearing her throat anxiously, Lucrecia walked forward with a confident, fluid grace towards the reception desk of floor six, the second floor of four housing levels. A receptionist sat there, her eyes fixed intently on the screen before her as she typed speedily on a keyboard. She blinked every now and then, but otherwise stood rigid and unmoving. Lucrecia's footsteps faltered as she neared the table and she considered turning back before the young woman suddenly looked up at her and gave an obviously forced smile.

"How can I help you Madam?" she asked in a sickeningly cheerful, nasal tone.

Lucrecia's hand tightened unconsciously around the letter in her lab coat pocket and her jaw tensed marginally. "Y, Yes," she stuttered uncertainly. "I was wondering," she coughed again and felt her cheeks flush a self-conscious red as her embarrassment steadily increased. Becoming suddenly angry at herself, she pulled the letter from her pocket and took a firm stride up to the desk. "I was wondering if you could give this to Mr Valentine of apartment 71f. It's extremely important," she blurted out before she could change her mind

The receptionist looked at her with an unexpected look of such venom that Lucrecia took an unconscious step backwards and placed a hand over her chest.

"Is that all right?" she asked worriedly. "I mean I don't want to you do anything if its inconvenient-"

"No, that's _fine_," came the harsh, interrupted response and the receptionist snatched the folded piece of paper from Lucrecia's hand.

The scientist stared back in shock, her mouth opening slightly as she floundered for something to say in the circumstances. The silencing glare shot in her direction from the woman behind the desk forced her into holding her tongue and she fell into awkward shame. 

"Vincent is out on Turk business at the moment," the receptionist informed her coldly and Lucrecia felt her heart sink at the odd way the woman's eyes flickered with his name. She frowned a little and almost asked her what the hell the problem was but stopped herself in time. 

"When will he be back?" she asked in a similarly icy tone.

"I don't know. It's _Turk_ business. He might not be back at all."

Lucrecia felt the blushing on her cheeks disappear as the blood drained from her face so fast she thought that she might faint. Instead she merely swooned a little and blinked in horror. Feeling tears well in her eyes, she hastily put a hand over her mouth and stumbled back towards the elevator doors.

"Just… just make sure he gets it," she ordered softly as she stepped into the cubicle and pressed the button for floor sixty-seven.

The receptionist watched after her for a while, long after the doors had closed and the elevator had travelled up the tube. She frowned and blinked a few times before thrusting the piece of paper to one side and focusing on the screen before her once more.


End file.
